History beckons trailblazers Bengaluru FC as they lock horns with Air Force Club of Iraq in the summit clash of AFC Cup in Doha on Saturday, aiming to become the first Indian football club to clinch a continental title. Bengaluru FC have already created history by becoming the first Indian club to qualify for the final of a continental tournament after they defeated defending champions Johor Darul Ta'zim in the semifinals on 4-2 aggregate last month. Before this, the farthest an Indian club had advanced in a continental tournament was the two AFC Cup semifinal appearances by Dempo in 2008 and East Bengal in 2013.
Football captain Sunil Chhetri wants India to "set a benchmark" by regularly qualifying for AFC Asian Cup, the continent's premier tournament.
Climax Lawrence struck in injury time to take India to a 1-0 victory over Afghanistan in their first match of the AFC Challenge Cup at the Gachibowli Stadium in Hyderabad on Wednesday.
The delay in installation of floodlights at the Nehru stadium in Margao, Goa, has forced the state's football association to ask the All Indian Football Federation to shift Dempo's AFC Cup quarter-final to another venue. This is a big blow to India's National League champions, who are scheduled to play their AFC Cup home match against Singapore's Home United on September 16.
Dempo paid for their profligacy with an own goal by their captain to go down 2-3 to Sur Club of Oman in the AFC Cup Group A thriller at Nizwa. The I-League champions, who beat Lebanese powerhouse Al Ansar in their opening pool match, wasted a couple of clear chances and conceded an own goal by star playmaker Climax Lawrence.
Dempo Sports Club exploited the shaky rival defence scoring a 3-1 win over Lebanon's Al Ansar in the opening group match of the AFC Cup at the Nehru Stadium in Margao on Tuesday.
The National Football League champions scored a 2-0 away victory over Singapore Armed Forces FC.
Mahindra United drew with Al Nejmeh 3-3 in the away match in Beirut and lost the AFC Cup tie on 5-4 aggregate.
High on confidence but low on performance, India will look to put behind the recent reverses when they take on Chinese Taipei in their opening match of the AFC Challenge Cup qualifying tournament in Yangon on Saturday.
Ranti Martins and Chidi Edeh struck a brace each to outplay Sur Club of Oman 5-2 in their final Group A match and take their side to their maiden AFC Cup quarter-finals in Margao on Wednesday.
No continent has escaped the 'cancer' of football match-fixing and it is too big a problem for one organisation to tackle alone, AFC acting president Zhang Jilong warned as the regional body and INTERPOL kicked off a two-day seminar on the issue on Wednesday.
East Bengal became the first Indian team to qualify for the AFC Cup knock-out round with an unbeaten record after thrashing Vietnam outfit Sai Gon Xuan Thanh 4-1 in their concluding Group H league match at the Vivekananda Yubabharati Krirangan in Kolkata on Tuesday.
India began their campaign AFC U-16 football championships campaign on a disappointing note, losing 2-3 to United Arab Emirates at the Nehru Stadium in Margao on Thursday.
India's top clubs were drew 2-2 with Brothers Union of Bangladesh and Turkmenistan's Merv respectively in the second round.
Sushil Kishku scored a brace as the Indian under-19 football team blanked Pakistan 5-0 in their Group B qualifying match for the AFC Championship.
Hosts Dempo SC went down tamely 0-4 to Nasaf FC of Uzbekistan in a Group-A encounter of the AFC Challenge Cup, at the Balewadi Sports Complex, in Pune, on Tuesday.
The All India Football Federation is exploring the possibility of selecting Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs) for the Indian football team.
The Asian Football Confederation have suspended former President Mohamed Bin Hammam after a lengthy audit of their accounts revealed fresh allegations of financial wrongdoing, the body said in a statement on Tuesday.
Riding on Haitian Sony Norde's superb display, Mohun Bagan beat Colombo Football Club 2-1 in the return leg fixture to storm into the play-off stage of the AFC Cup South Asia Zone on 4-2 aggregate in Kolkata on Tuesday.
Holders Korea Republic thrashed Jordan 3-0 while Japan beat North Korea 2-0.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
Stephen Constantine said he has accepted the contract extension offered to him by the All India Football Federation (AIFF), which will make him the longest serving national coach in the history of the sport.
A goalless draw against Chinese Taipei gave India the top spot in Group A.
North Korea were held to a 1-1 draw by 10-man Turkmenistan in their opening group game of the AFC Challenge Cup in Colombo on Wednesday.
A 22-member India Under-23 football squad left the country on Sunday to defend their title in the AFC Challenge Cup to be held in Colombo from February 16-27.
We need players with confidence in front of goal: Stimac after India's Asian Cup exit
India opened their campaign by defeating Lebanon 5-2 in the opening match of the AFC U-22 Championship at the Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex, Muscat on Saturday.
AIFF Player of the Year, Sunil Chhetri will lead India in the AFC Challenge Cup to be held in Kathmandu from March 8.
A goal deep into stoppage time snapped Dempo's winning spree in the AFC Cup as the Goan outfit settled for a 1-1 against defending champions Al Muharraq in the Group E match at the Bahrain National Stadium on Tuesday night.
Football was not very close to Sunil Chhetri's heart during his days as a bubbly teenager with proclivity for pranks. He was only looking to use the sport as a vehicle to gain entry to a reputed college and continue his education.
The Delhi high court on Tuesday set aside the election of Praful Patel, who was last year elected as the president of All India Football Federation for a four-year term, his third successive tenure.
India will be up against UAE, Saudi Arabia and Iran in the group stages of AFC U-16 Championship as the draw for the event, which will act as a dress rehearsal for next year's FIFA U-17 World Cup, was held amid much fanfare in Panaji, Goa on Thursday. The tournament begins on September 15 and matches will be held at Fatorda and Bambolim Stadium in Goa. The final is slated to be played on October 2. The top two teams from each groups will qualify for the quarter-finals. In case India, who are in Group A, advance to the semi-finals, the winner of play-off 3 will also qualify for FIFA U-17 World Cup. Conducted by Shin Mangil, Director of Competitions, Asian Football Confederation, the ceremony was attended by Goa Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar, Secretary of All India Football Federation Kushal Das and U-17 World Cup Tournament Director Javier Ceppi among others. The 16 participating teams were divided into four groups.
The Copa del Rey semi-final draw will be made on Friday.
Federation Cup champions Mohun Bagan put on a spirited display before succumbing 1-2 to Al Wehdat of Jordan in their second Group D league match of the AFC Cup at Howrah the Municipal Ground on Tuesday.
FC Seoul and Al Nasr inched closer to a place in the semi-finals of the AFC Champions League following comprehensive victories in their respective quarter-final first leg matches on Wednesday.
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.
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Rising high on Prosenjit Chakborty's hat-trick, India registered 8-1 victory against Bhutan in their third match of the U-16 AFC Qualifiers in Kuwait City on Friday night.
Lalrindika Ralte's goal gave East Bengal a 1-0 victory over Selangor FA in their AFC Cup Group H opener.
I-League champions Dempo's hopes of progressing to the semi-finals of the AFC Cup suffered a set back after they drew 1-1 against Home United of Singapore in the first leg of the quarter-final in Hyderabad on Tuesday.
Mohun Bagan's horrendous run in the AFC Cup continued with a 0-6 humiliation at the hands Al Kuwait in a Group D league match in Kuwait City.
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