"Clear Payment Within 10 days Or...": Sacked India Football Coach Igor Stimac Warns AIFF

Terming his sacking "unilateral", former India football coach Igor Stimac on Tuesday threatened to file a lawsuit against the national federation in the FIFA Tribunal if it fails to clear his dues within the next 10 days. Stimac lashed out at All India Football Federation (AIFF) president Kalyan Chaubey and accused him of breaching his contract multiple times.

He also held him squarely responsible for the Indian team's failure to progress beyond the second round of the 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers. The Croat said his stint in India left him with serious health problems and he never wants to hear from the AIFF again.

"I kindly ask you to immediately, but not later in next ten (10) days, organize payment to me for this termination of the contract without just cause in the amount which will represent a residual value of my employment contract that was prematurely terminated from AIFF side...," Stimac said.

"This amount should represent the remaining value of my employment contract prematurely terminated by the AIFF, in accordance with Article 6 of Annex 2 of the FIFA Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players.

"Otherwise, I will start proceedings against the AIFF before the competent FIFA Football Tribunal and file a lawsuit,' he added.

Stimac was on Monday removed as the head coach of the team, the AIFF terminating his contract exactly a year before it was to expire in the wake of the side's ouster from the World Cup Qualifiers despite getting a relatively easy draw.

The 56-year-old Stimac, who has been at loggerheads with Chaubey for a while now, blasted the AIFF in a notice for removing him from the post without "just cause".

"Publishing something like this (his termination) prior to reaching the conversation