Category: Football

The AIFF Super Cup 2025–26 is fast becoming the proving ground for Indian football’s hierarchy. Bringing together 13 Indian Super League (ISL) teams and three top I-League clubs, the competition offers not just prestige, but a direct AFC Champions League Two playoff berth for the eventual winner. With its unforgiving format only group winners progress…

Under relentless rain at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Fatorda, FC Goa showcased composure, control, and resilience to register a 2–0 win over Jamshedpur FC in their opening Group B encounter of the AIFF Super Cup 2025–26. Goals from Javier Siverio (44’) and Dejan Drazic (65’) sealed the win for the Gaurs in a contest…

In a rain-soaked battle at the GMC Stadium in Bambolim, Inter Kashi the newly promoted ISL side and reigning I-League champions stunned many by holding Durand Cup winners NorthEast United FC to a pulsating 2–2 draw in their AIFF Super Cup 2025–26 Group B opener. It was a match that had everything: early goals, defensive…

The AIFF Super Cup 2025–26 returns with a high-stakes double-header in Group B, promising two contrasting but crucial fixtures that could shape the destiny of this year’s most competitive group. On one side, Durand Cup champions NorthEast United FC take on I-League title holders Inter Kashi, while later in the evening, defending Super Cup champions…

When Jindal Steel’s subsidiary, Jindal Shadeed Iron & Steel (JSS), became the title sponsor of the Oman Professional League earlier this year, the move triggered an online debate about priorities & Indian Football. How could one of India’s biggest conglomerates invest in football abroad while the Indian Super League (ISL) the nation’s top-tier competition entered…

It wasn’t the homecoming Clifford Miranda had envisioned. Returning to Goa as the head coach of an all-Indian Chennaiyin FC, Miranda’s first Super Cup assignment ended in disappointment as Mohun Bagan Super Giant powered by a Jamie Maclaren brace, secured a comfortable 2-0 win at the PJN Stadium in Fatorda on a rain-drenched Saturday night….

Punjab FC have bolstered their midfield options ahead of the AIFF Super Cup 2025 with the signing of experienced Spanish attacking midfielder Dani Ramírez Fernández on a one-year deal. The 33-year-old joins the I-League side on a free transfer, becoming the club’s second overseas signing of the season after Bosnian midfielder Samir Zeljković. The addition…

In a thrilling curtain-raiser to the 2025–26 AIFF Super Cup, East Bengal were held to a 2-2 draw by a spirited 10-man Dempo SC side at the GMC Stadium in Bambolim. What was expected to be a routine outing for one of India’s biggest clubs turned into a test of composure and resilience, as Dempo…

The AIFF Super Cup 2025–26 kicks off today in Goa, setting the stage for one of the most competitive and high-stakes editions in the tournament’s history. The opening day brings two crucial Group A fixtures East Bengal FC vs Dempo SC at the GMC Stadium, Bambolim (16:30 IST), followed by Mohun Bagan Super Giant vs…

In a period of deep volatility within Indian football, Bengaluru FC’s decision to extend Ryan Williams’ contract stands out not just as a retention move but as a shrewd, high-leverage gamble with long-term strategic upside. For a club that prides itself on system stability and intelligent roster construction, Bengaluru’s choice to trigger the contract extension…

On a humid Goan evening under the floodlights of the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Fatorda, FC Goa produced one of their most spirited performances on the continental stage yet came away empty-handed. The Indian Super League side suffered a 1–2 defeat to Saudi giants Al Nassr in their AFC Champions League Two Group D clash,…

When the Telangana Government partnered with Juventus Football Club, one of Europe’s most iconic football institutions, it wasn’t just the launch of another youth camp it was the beginning of a sports diplomacy experiment designed to transform the state’s football ecosystem and revive Hyderabad’s storied legacy in Indian football. The “Telangana × Juventus Sports Diplomacy…

In the ever-evolving narrative of Indian football, certain moments transcend individual achievement to redefine collective ambition. On October 22, 2025, one such moment arrives as Yohaan Benjamin, an 18-year-old midfielder from Maharashtra, makes history as the first Indian footballer to feature in the UEFA Youth League (UYL). Representing Slovenia’s NK Bravo U19, Benjamin’s debut against…

The Indian women’s football team began their Tri-Nation Friendly campaign in Shillong with a frustrating 0–2 defeat against Iran a result that reflected both promise and profligacy. Under the floodlights at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, the Blue Tigresses showed flashes of intent but were undone by lapses in concentration and wastefulness in front of goal….

Indian football’s developmental journey will enter a crucial testing phase this month and next as two national youth teams embark on important international assignments. The India U20 Women’s team will play a pair of friendlies against Kazakhstan U19 Women on October 25 and 28 in Shymkent, while the India U23 Men’s team will take on…

The Indian women’s football team returns to action this week in Shillong, kicking off a crucial phase in their preparation for next year’s AFC Women’s Asian Cup Australia 2026. The opening fixture between India vs Iran of the Tri-Nation International Friendlies marks not just another international matchday but the beginning of a long-term strategic cycle…

The FIFA World Rankings update of October 17, 2025, delivered a sobering reality check for Indian football. The Blue Tigers have slumped to rank 136, their lowest position in nearly a decade, and their poorest standing since November 2016 (rank 137). This latest slide down two places from 134 is not a mere statistical dip….

The Blue Tigers, Indian Men Football carried the hopes of 1.4 billion, only to leave the field empty-handed and bruised. That’s the story of India’s AFC Asian Cup 2027 qualifying campaign a journey that began with ambition and ended in disarray. For the first time in over a decade, India will miss Asia’s grandest football…

Indian women’s football has experienced several false dawns but 2025 stands apart as the year the sun truly rose. For the first time in history, India’s Senior, U20, and U17 women’s teams all qualified on merit for their respective AFC Asian Cup 2026 tournaments. Between June and October, across three continents and 15 tournament matches,…

The Young Tigresses have roared their way into history. Indian U17 Women’s National Football Team completed a stunning comeback to beat Uzbekistan 2–1 in Bishkek, sealing their qualification for the AFC U17 Women’s Asian Cup 2026 to be held in China. This is not just another victory it’s a moment of transformation for Indian women’s…

As the sun sets over Bishkek’s Dolen Omurzakov Stadium on October 17, 2025, the Indian U17 women’s national team the Young Tigresses stand on the verge of history for AFC U17 Women’s Asian Cup 2026 A result against Uzbekistan will not only define their campaign but could also mark a generational milestone in Indian women’s…

In the same financial year that Indian football federation reported one of its largest-ever surpluses ₹18.45 crore the sport’s most critical foundation, grassroots development, saw its funding slashed by 78%. The All India Football Federation (AIFF)’s 2024–25 budget, approved earlier this year, paints a picture of financial contradiction rising international income from FIFA and the…

The 2025–26 edition of the AIFF Super Cup, which was supposed to symbolize a new phase of stability in Indian football, has already been overshadowed by controversy and a logistical crisis. Just nine days before the tournament’s kickoff, Real Kashmir FC (RKFC) announced their withdrawal, citing an inability to secure Indian visas for their foreign…

The All India Football Federation (AIFF) has released the second volume of its Request for Proposal (RFP) for awarding the rights to monetize its commercial properties at Indian Football for a limited term. This document, titled Volume II: Draft Contract, marks a watershed moment in Indian football’s structural and commercial evolution. It lays out the…

The Indian Women’s National Football Team is gearing up for an important international assignment on home soil as the Tri-Nations Women’s International Friendly Series kicks off this October at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Shillong. The event will feature India, Iran, and Nepal, bringing together three competitive Asian sides in a tightly-packed week of football…

For forty-three minutes in Goa, Indian football flirted with something that resembled belief. The ball moved crisply, the press was coordinated, and when Lallianzuala Chhangte sent a rocket into the top corner in the 14th minute, Fatorda Stadium roared. It was fleeting. By the final whistle, the stands were nearly silent, and so was the…

When India lost 1–2 to Singapore in Goa on October 14, 2025, it didn’t just end a qualification campaign it extended one of Indian football’s most symbolic and damning droughts. The defeat marked 21 years since India last beat Singapore, completing a cycle of stagnation that mirrors the country’s broader footballing dysfunction. This is not…

When Hyderabad FC lifted the Indian Super League (ISL) title in 2021–22, few would have predicted that within three years, the club would cease to exist not through relegation, but through financial collapse and relocation. In 2025, the franchise has been officially rebranded as Sporting Club Delhi (SCD), marking the ISL’s return to India’s capital…

When Inter Kashi FC lifted the I-League 2024–25 trophy in April, it seemed like a triumph of sporting merit the culmination of India’s long-promised open-league structure. But beneath the celebrations lies an uncomfortable truth: this historic promotion to the Indian Super League (ISL) was not determined by the All India Football Federation (AIFF), nor by…

The year 2025 marks a historic turning point for Indian football governance. For the first time ever, an Indian woman Valanka Alemao, CEO of Churchill Brothers FC and Chairperson of the AIFF Women’s Committee has earned a seat at the global table. Her appointment to the FIFA Women’s Football Development Committee (2025–2029) is not merely…

At the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Fatorda, Goa, the Indian men’s football team enters what is being described as the “last chance saloon.” Facing Singapore in a must-win AFC Asian Cup 2027 Qualifier, the Blue Tigers find themselves trapped in a mathematical corner needing not only victory, but victory of conviction, to keep their qualification…

A night of heart, grit, and late drama unfolded at the Dolen Omurzakov Stadium as India U17 women’s team opened their AFC U17 Women’s Asian Cup China 2026 Qualifiers campaign with a thrilling 2–1 victory over hosts Kyrgyz Republic. It was a result that carried both emotional resonance and competitive significance, as the Young Tigresses…

The India U23 men’s football team wrapped up their two-match friendly series in Indonesia unbeaten, following a hard-fought 1–1 draw against the hosts at the Gelora Bung Karno Madya Stadium on Monday. The Blue Colts, who had edged Indonesia 2–1 in the first game, produced another disciplined performance to end their short overseas tour on…

In Indian football’s most transformative phase in decades, a quiet revolution is taking shape and it’s being led not by foreign tacticians, but by three homegrown minds. For the first time since 2012, all of India’s men’s national football teams across senior, U23, and U17 levels are under the command of Indian coaches. Khalid Jamil…

The India U23 men’s football team began their two-match international friendly series in Indonesia on a winning note, defeating the hosts 2–1 at the Gelora Bung Karno Madya Stadium in Jakarta on Friday, October 10, 2025. A superb first-half brace from Suhail Ahmad Bhat sealed a memorable victory for Naushad Moosa’s Blue Colts, who showcased…

The India U17 men’s football team wrapped up their two-match friendly series against China PR U17 with a spirited 1–0 victory in the second encounter at the National Football Training Centre in Xianghe on Friday, October 10. The result came as a strong response to their 0–4 defeat in the first game earlier in the…

For a large part of the evening at the National Stadium in the AFC Asian Cup 2027 Qualifiers, Singapore looked set to inflict another miserable night on Indian football. Down to ten men, disjointed in midfield, and trailing for most of the game, the Blue Tigers were staring at their second straight defeat in the…

The Blue Tigers face their most defining challenge yet in the AFC Asian Cup 2027 Qualifiers Final Round as they prepare to take on table-toppers Singapore in a high-stakes Group C encounter at the Singapore National Stadium. With only one point from two matches, India’s qualification hopes are hanging by a thread, while the hosts…

The year 2025 has been hailed as one of Indian football’s most successful years at the regional level, with age-group national teams securing dominance across South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) competitions. India clinched three youth championships Men’s U17, Women’s U17, and Men’s U19 and shared a contentious joint title in the Women’s U19 category. This…

The Blue Colts once again proved their supremacy in South Asian youth football, lifting the SAFF U-17 Championship 2025 with a nerve-shredding penalty shootout victory over Bangladesh in Colombo. The 2–2 draw in regulation time, followed by a 4–2 win in the tiebreaker, gave India their fifth consecutive title and a record seventh overall, underlining…

The countdown to India’s premier cup competition has officially begun. With just a month to go, the All India Football Federation (AIFF) has unveiled the Super Cup 2025 group stage draws, setting the stage for a high-stakes tournament that promises drama, rivalries, and the potential for surprises. The tournament will run from October 25 to…

Indian Clubs Stumble in AFC Champions League Two Opener: Mohun Bagan and FC Goa’s Tough Start in AFC Champions League Two The 2025-26 season of the AFC Champions League Two got underway with plenty of optimism for Indian football, but it quickly turned into a tale of frustration. Both Mohun Bagan Super Giant and FC…

Indian football has once again walked on a knife’s edge and lived to tell the tale. On September 19, 2025, the Supreme Court of India directed the All India Football Federation (AIFF) to convene a special general body meeting and adopt its long-delayed draft constitution within four weeks. This ruling not only satisfied FIFA’s core…

In a match that had everything goals, drama, and controversy the India U-17 men’s national football team edged past arch-rivals Pakistan 3-2 at the Racecourse International Stadium to finish top of Group B in the ongoing SAFF U17 Championship 2025. Goals from Dallalmuon Gangte (31’), Gunleiba Wangkheirakpam (63’), and Rahan Ahmad (73’) sealed victory for…