After Igor Stimac’s ouster, AIFF invites applications for Indian football team’s head coach

The All India Football Federation (AIFF) is inviting applications for an experienced head coach for the Indian men’s football team. The advertisement comes after the football body sacked Igor Stimac, who was incharge of the team for five years, after India failed to progress past the second round of the FIFA World Cup Qualifiers.

The hiring requirement and the eligibility criteria, among other roles and responsibilities, were uploaded on the AIFF website. The last date for sending applications is July 3, 2024.

The AIFF are looking for a candidate who has a minimum of 10 to 15 years of coaching experience at the elite youth and senior levels of football. The Indian football’s governing body has added that candidates who have had experience as the head coach of any country’s first team in tournaments like the FIFA World Cup and any continental championship qualifiers will get preference over other candidates.

The Indian football team’s head coach’s role also mandates an AFC or UEFA Pro licence or their equivalent.

Apart from being the head coach of the Indian national football team, the candidate will also have to take charge in preparing the U-23 Indian national men’s teams for tournaments like the FIFA World Cup, the AFC Asian Cup, and the SAFF Championship etc.

The AIFF has also given a clause of achieving a ‘remarkable preparation and performance’ at the 2026 edition of the Asian Games as one of the key responsibilities.