FIFA suspends Football Federation of India for the
first time in 85 years
The suspension of the AIFF means that the Under-17 Women's Football World Cup tournament, which was scheduled to be held in the country from October 11 to
October 30, will no longer take place on schedule. Its hosting can also be snatched from India.Earlier this month, FIFA, the world football governing body, threatened to suspend the Football Federation of India for interference by a third party (Committee of Administrators/CoA). Along with this, FIFA also threatened to take away its rights to host the Women's Under-17 World Cup to be held in October.
The warning came just days after the Supreme Court directed the AIFF to hold elections. However, the Supreme Court-appointed Committee of Administrators (CoA) has started the election process.
Elections are to be held on August 28.
The Supreme Court of India dissolved the AIFF in May 2022 and appointed a three-member committee to amend the AIFF's constitution to govern the sport and hold elections pending for 18 months.
FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation sent a team led by AFC Secretary General Windsor John to meet the stakeholders of Indian football for the AIFF to revise its statutes by the end of July and subsequently a roadmap was prepared to complete latest elections by 15 September.
The elections to the AIFF were to be held by December 2020 under the leadership of FIFA Council member
Praful Patel, but were delayed due to a deadlock over amendments to its constitution. Subsequently, on August 03, 2022, the Supreme Court had ordered immediate elections and said that the Elected Committee (CoA) would be an interim body for a period of three months.
On August 5, FIFA threatened to suspend the Football Federation of India (AIFF) for third-party interference. According to FIFA rules, member associations must be free from legal and political interference in their respective countries. FIFA has previously
suspended other national associations in similar cases.