During a crucial press conference held on Friday, AIFF President Kalyan Chaubey announced that India will be bidding for multiple upcoming AFC competitions, including the AFC Asian Cup, AFC Beach Soccer Championship, and the AFC Futsal Championship.
“India is looking to make a bid for some upcoming AFC competitions like the AFC Asian Cup, the AFC Beach Soccer, and the AFC Futsal,” said Chaubey during the press conference.
The announcement comes at a tense moment for Indian football, with growing public dissatisfaction over the national team’s recent performances.
India’s national football team recently slipped to 133rd in the FIFA World Rankings following back-to-back defeats in the AFC Asian Cup 2027 qualifiers. A narrow 1-0 loss to Hong Kong, decided by a stoppage-time penalty from Stefan Pereira, has drawn intense criticism from fans and analysts alike.
Coming shortly after a defeat to Thailand, the result has thrown India’s qualification hopes into serious doubt and raised concerns about the national team’s direction.
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