The All India Football Federation (AIFF) has named Khalid Jamil as the new head coach of the senior India men’s national football team, marking the first time in 13 years that an Indian has been handed the top job.
Jamil’s appointment was finalised during the AIFF Executive Committee’s virtual meeting on Friday, based on a recommendation by the federation’s Technical Committee. The former Aizawl FC and Jamshedpur FC coach was chosen from a three-member shortlist that included former India boss Stephen Constantine and ex-Slovakia coach Stefan Tarkovic.
The selection process included a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) analysis of all three contenders, presented by AIFF Technical Director Syed Sabir Pasha and National Teams Director Subrata Paul. The meeting was chaired by AIFF President Kalyan Chaubey, with Vice President NA Haris and Treasurer Kipa Ajay also in attendance.
AIFF’s Technical Committee, led by former India captain IM Vijayan, strongly backed the idea of appointing an Indian head coach. Dronacharya Awardees Bimal Ghosh and Armando Colaco, along with Dhyan Chand Awardee Shabbir Ali, were also vocal in their support of a homegrown candidate.
“Colaco, Ghosh, and Ali stressed that Indian coaches deserve a fair opportunity at the top level. They recalled that they, too, once lacked national experience but were given chances that helped shape Indian football,” the AIFF noted in an official statement.
Vijayan, a Padma Shri and Arjuna awardee, highlighted that India had enjoyed better FIFA rankings during the tenure of Indian coaches like Sukhwinder Singh and Syed Nayeemuddin. He cited Jamil’s consistent achievements, including being named AIFF Men’s Coach of the Year for two consecutive seasons — 2023-24 and 2024-25 — as grounds for recommendation.
A former midfielder, Khalid Jamil has steadily risen through the ranks of Indian football. He famously led Aizawl FC to their maiden I-League title and more recently revived Jamshedpur FC’s fortunes — taking them to the Super Cup semifinals in 2023–24 and helping them finish runners-up with an ISL semifinal berth the following season.
Jamil now faces the task of reviving the national side, which has struggled for form and direction in recent years. His appointment is seen as a step toward nurturing local talent and giving Indian coaches their long-overdue place on the national stage.
