FIFA Threatens All India Football Federation With Suspension Over 'Third Party Interference'

Indian football's governing body, the All India Football Federation (AIFF), has once again come under the threat of suspension from FIFA, the global football governing body, due to "third-party interference." FIFA has reportedly given the AIFF a deadline of August 30 to finalize and implement the revised constitution, warning that failure to do so would lead to a suspension. FIFA reportedly sent a strongly-worded letter to the AIFF, reminding the Indian body of its "obligation to manage its affairs independently and without any undue third-party influence, including government bodies."

With a hearing in the honorable Supreme Court scheduled for Thursday, August 28, FIFA has asked the AIFF to secure a definitive ruling that approves the AIFF constitution. The Indian body has also been instructed to align its constitution with the statutes and regulations of both FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), without any exceptions.

"This prolonged impasse has precipitated a governance and operational crisis. Clubs and players remain uncertain regarding the domestic competition calendar; commercial partnerships beyond December 2025 remain unconfirmed; and essential functions relating to development, competitions, and marketing are increasingly compromised. The resulting lack of financial stability has had a profoundly negative impact on India's football ecosystem, particularly affecting footballers employed by clubs participating in the Indian Super League (ISL), which is organized under the auspices of the AIFF," read the letter sent to the AIFF, as per the Indian Express.

A deadlock between the AIFF and Football Sports Development Limited (FSDL) led to a delay in finalizing the schedule for the Indian Super League (2025-26 season). Both the AIFF and FSDL are to appear in court on Thursday to resolve the matter.

In its letter, FIFA has firmly highlighted the dire consequences that the AIFF could face if it fails to finalize the constitution and remove third-party interference.

"Failure to adhere to this obligation may result in sanctions outlined in the FIFA and AFC Statutes, including the possibility of suspension. Furthermore, a member association may face consequences for third-party influence, even if it is not directly at fault (cf. article 14 paragraph 3 of the FIFA Statutes and article 10 paragraph 1 (t) and 2 of the AFC Statutes). A suspension of the AIFF would result in the loss of all of its rights as a FIFA and AFC member, as defined in the FIFA and AFC Statutes," the letter stated.

FIFA is also unhappy with the feedback it received from FIFPRO, the players' union, about the termination of contracts of footballers due to the current financial instability in the country's football ecosystem.

"We have received concerning reports from FIFPRO of the unilateral termination of players' employment contracts by various clubs, as a direct consequence of the current impasse, affecting the players' livelihoods and careers."