FIFA threatens AIFF ban, stripping off right to host women's U-17 World Cup

FIFA has threatened to suspend the AIFF and strip off its right to host the women's U-17 World Cup in October due to a third party "influence", a development which comes just days after the Supreme Court's directive to hold elections of the national federation. The Supreme Court on Wednesday directed the executive committee of the All India Football Federation (AIFF) to expeditiously hold elections as per the schedule proposed by the Committee of Administrators (CoA), which is currently running the affairs of the national federation.

It took note of the fact that India is due to host the FIFA Under-17 Women's World Cup from October 11. The elections were to be held on August 28 and the poll process was to start on August 13, as the top court approved the time-line prepared by the CoA.

"...we kindly ask the AIFF to provide us without further delay with an official transcript of the Supreme Court's decision of 3 August 2022 by 17:00 hours Indian Standard Time on 9 August 2022," FIFA said in a letter sent to acting AIFF General Secretary Sunando Dhar. "Upon receipt of the said documentation and following its in-depth analysis, should there exist serious deviations to the aforesaid roadmap, we would submit the matter to our relevant decision-making body for further considerations and possible decisions based on FIFA Statutes, including the suspension of the AIFF and the withdrawal of the hosting rights for the 2022 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup in India." FIFA made it known that it is against any third party intervention to the running of its member units.