Hyderabad: The All India Football Federation (AIFF) on Monday sacked Igor Stimac as the head coach of the country's senior men's team following a disappointing campaign in the 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers.
The decision to remove him was taken at a meeting chaired by AIFF Vice President NA Haris. "The meeting instructed the Acting Secretary General Mr. Satyanarayan to notify the current Head Coach Mr. Igor Stimac of its decision to terminate his engagement," the AIFF said in a media statement.
Stimac, who was appointed as the head coach in 2019, was given an extension last year by the sport's apex body. India could not make the third round of the World Cup qualifier following a 1-2 defeat against Qatar in their final second-round match.
"Noting the disappointing outcome of the Senior Men's National Team's FIFA World Cup 2026 qualification campaign, the members unanimously agreed that a new Head Coach would be best placed to take the team forward," the statement said.
"A notice of termination has been issued to Mr. Stimac by the AIFF Secretariat, and he stands relieved of his obligations with immediate effect."
The 56-year-old Stimac, who was part of the Croatia team that made the semifinals of the 1998 World Cup, had taken charge of the Blue Tigers in 2019, after the departure of Stephen Constantine. Under Stimac, India won four major trophies, including two SAFF Championships, one Intercontinental Cup and a Tri-Nations Series.
As per a clause in the contract, the AIFF now might have to pay Stimac nearly USD 360,000 (Rs 3 crore approximately) as a severance package, which is quite a hefty amount for a federation that has struggled for funds in recent years and has reduced its competitions budget this year.
The 56-year-old Stimac, who always spoke his mind and occasionally ran into trouble with his employers, was at the helm for five years. Stimac was at the helm in 53 matches during his tenure, which began with a 3-1 loss to Curacao in 2019. India won 19 of those 53 matches, drawing 14 and losing 20.
When news agency PTI reached out to Stimac in Croatia, he preferred to keep mum for the time being on the advice of his lawyer. "My lawyer suggested me not to speak publicly until it's all clear," Stimac said. "You will get an invite for my press conference once I am ready," he added.
It is now certain that the Indian Men's senior Football team will now get a new head coach and that the AIFF will invite applications for the top job.
