Stranded in Srinagar for more than a month due to the coronavirus-forced national lockdown, Real Kashmir FC head coach David Robertson and his family will finally return to Scotland on Thursday, ending an anxious wait to attend to his sick mother. Robertson, his wife Kim, son Mason, who plays for the club, and three support staff reached Jammu on Wednesday by an official bus of RKFC which left Srinagar early in the morning. They will fly back home in a British Airways flight from Amritsar on Thursday afternoon.
The All India Football Federation on Wednesday hailed Bangalore lad Ishan Pandita's signing a contract with Spanish La Liga side Club Deportivo Leganes to play in the youth team, describing it a landmark achievement.
This is India's best-ever FIFA Ranking since April 1996 when India were also ranked 100.
In one of the biggest achievements in Indian football history, unheralded Aizawl FC on Sunday lifted the I-League crown after they held Shillong Lajong 1-1 in a tense match in Shillong.
India's friendly match against German football giant, Bayern Munich in January next year will be Indian legend Bhaichung Bhutia's "official farewell match", the AIFF said on Saturday.
In a first of sorts for Indian football, the national team implemented the 'Player Tracking System' at its ongoing preparatory camp at the DSK Dream City, the home of DSK Shivajians Football Club, in Pune.
A section of the All Indian Football Federation is likely to strongly oppose the extension of national coach Armando Colaco's contract when the matter comes up for discussion in a crucial executive committee meeting in New Delhi.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
Indian football team has turned into a decent home side but it is in desperate need for away games, says inspirational skipper Sunil Chhetri, who feels the next target for the country should be a top-10 place in Asia so that the big guns invite them over.
The All India Football Federation will have to wait a little longer to make an official presentation to the FIFA to host the 2017 U017 World Cup as the government is yet to give its final approval to the bid.
Playing with ten debutants, India came back strongly in the second half to eke out a draw in their first international game since the COVID-19 lockdown last March.
The budget constraints notwithstanding, the All India Football Federation is looking for a technical director whose profile is bigger than former national coach Bob Houghton, according to AIFF officials.
Mumbai FC footballer Nishant Mehra has been banned for two years by the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) for failing the dope test conducted on him in January this year.
A winless India must beat Bangladesh on Monday if they want to jump to third spot in Group E standings and keep themselves afloat for a direct berth in the Asian Cup third qualifying round.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field.
Indian tennis icon Leander Paes, who will participate in the Olympics for the sixth time next year, said he is keen to promote Indian football, perhaps in the role of a brand ambassador.
Dilip Kumar 'got annoyed and was about to leave the stage before things were brought under control'.
With an aim to make the 2017 FIFA U-17 World Cup a huge success, the Sports Ministry has urged all the states and Union Territories to take necessary steps to popularise and promote football in their region by including the game in various programmes. In a letter sent to all Chief Secretaries of states and Union Territories, Secretary, Department of Sports Rajiv Yadav has said that FIFA U-17 World Cup is going to be held in India in October 2017 for the first time. Referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'Mann ki Baat' programme on March 27, the letter said that the Prime Minister has called for building an atmosphere and fervor of football in the country as a run up to the FIFA U-17 World Cup. He said the Prime Minister wants football to be played in every nook and corner of the country. The communication further said that following the call of the Prime Minister, the Department of Sports has initiated a series of steps to popularise football throughout the country.
Experienced Englishman Bob Houghton's tumultuous yet productive five-year stint as Indian football coach came to an end on Saturday in controversial circumstances after a bitter stand-off with the AIFF, which had charged him for racially abusing an Indian referee.
India's star striker Sunil Chhetri is in doubt for India's Asian Cup qualifier against Kyrgyzstan as well as the international friendly against Lebanon next month, according to his I-League club Bengaluru FC's chief executive officer.
Former AIFF general secretary Alberto Colaco winning the AFC Distinguished Service Award has kicked up a controversy with top officials accusing him of recommending himself without consulting the executive committee.
Indian football head coach Igor Stimac hailed Sunil Chhetri, saying the talismanic captain was one of those who "glorified" Indian football with his dedication in the 15 years of his illustrious career. The 35-year-old Chhetri on Friday became only the second Indian after legendary Bhaichung Bhutia to complete 15 years in Indian jersey.
An important factor in India's stupendous success in 2021 was the way the government opened its coffers to support athletes.
The AIFF dropped as many as 13 senior players who were part of the 23-member squad for the Asian Cup in Qatar early this year. Most of the youngsters, who were part of the 2012 AFC Challenge Cup qualifying tournament in Malaysia, were named in the probables' list.
The Indian football team squandered a first-half lead to eventually go down to AFC Challenge Cup Champions Palestine 2-3 in an International friendly in Siliguri on Monday.
Dempo have refused to release Joaquim Abranches after they were requested by the AIFF to send him for the national camp in Dubai less than 15 days prior to the Asian Cup 2011.
The All India Football Federation (AIFF) on Friday reiterated that Michael Chopra will be eligible to represent India only if the Cardiff City striker surrenders his British passport for an Indian one.
The Local Organising Committee of the FIFA U-17 World Cup India 2017 (LOC) on Tuesday unveiled the official emblem for what will be the country's first international football event. The ceremony at a posh city hotel here was attended by FIFA President Gianni Infantino, and Chairman of the LOC and All India Football Federation (AIFF) Praful Patel.
Bembem hoped the Padma Shri will act as recognition for women's football in India.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
Varied cultural events featuring the traditional art forms of Kerala was organised at the unveiling ceremony in 'God's Own Country.'
The All India Football Federation (AIFF) said it wants to see the country's national team breach the top 100 of the world football rankings within three years.
Former Board of Control for Cricket in India president Biswanath Dutt, best known in Indian cricket fraternity as Jagmohan Dalmiya's mentor, passed away on Monday after suffering from acute lung infection.
Legendary Indian footballer Bhaichung Bhutia says all strikers need to develop "sixth sense to smell" the opportune time to strike if they are to score regularly. In a chat with AIFF TV, Bhutia, the first Indian footballer to have played 100 international matches, said strikers can be successful only when they can read goal-scoring situations well.
Former India captain Bhaichung Bhutia on Monday said the lack of top-class infrastructure still remains an impediment to the development of football in the country, while AIFF president Praful Patel lamented the absence of enough money in sports other than cricket. Considered the torchbearer of Indian football during his playing days, Bhutia felt while avenues have opened up now lot can still be done in the area of infrastructure.
All India Football Federation president Praful Patel on Friday conceded there were "certain issues" between AIFF and Bob Houghton but asserted that the Englishman remains the national coach and will guide the team in next year's Asian Cup in Doha.
'If we are in the first 10, you are giving yourself a realistic chance to play against the best in Asia and then you always have the answer to how much you have to achieve more'
India dropped one rung to be placed 97th in the latest edition of the FIFA Rankings issued in Thursday.
The India U-17 women's team began the three-nation football tournament on a disastrous note, going down 0-3 to Sweden
The controversy surrounding India football coach Bob Houghton's resignation is finally over with the Briton himself announcing on Wednesday that he has struck a deal with the AIFF to continue till 2013.
