India’s Football Federation Slammed After Embarrassing Defeat to Hong Kong
Former India captain Bhaichung Bhutia harshly blasted the All India Football Federation (AIFF) for allegedly giving players a USD 50,000 bonus had they won the match following India’s 0-1 loss to Hong Kong in the AFC Asian Cup 2027 Qualifiers.
Former India captain Bhaichung Bhutia harshly blasted the All India Football Federation (AIFF) for allegedly giving players a USD 50,000 bonus had they won the match following India’s 0-1 loss to Hong Kong in the AFC Asian Cup 2027 Qualifiers. India urgently needed a victory to stay in the running after their initial match ended in a goalless stalemate with Bangladesh. However, a penalty in stoppage time crushed their dreams, resulting in yet another sad outcome. Bhutia questioned the reasoning behind such ad hoc financial incentives and demanded that AIFF president Kalyan Chaubey resign “to save Indian football” in an exclusive interview with IANS.
According to rumours, players have not even been paid their RS 2,500 daily stipend. Unlike cricket players, Indian football players do not have central contracts. They don’t get paid in crores or lakhs. Daily allowances make up the majority of their remuneration, according to Bhutia.
“Then all of a sudden, if they had won the game, a USD 50,000 prize was announced. From where did this originate? Would they receive the same bonus for the following four games if they had won? Clearly, there is no strategy and no system. “Just arbitrary decisions that lack clarity,” he stated.
India had a successful year, winning the SAFF Championship, Tri-Nation Tournament, and Intercontinental Cup. As of July 2023, they were rated 99th in the FIFA rankings. But since then, Bhutia said, it’s been “one disaster after another.”
India went winless in 2024 after former coach Igor Stimac’s tumultuous departure and their expulsion from the FIFA 2026 World Cup qualifiers. Their solitary triumph came recently when India defeated the Maldives 3-0, their first victory in 489 days, thanks to the return of legendary striker Sunil Chhetri.
India now confronts the bleak possibility of missing out on the 2027 Asian Cup, a competition they have regularly qualified for in recent years, as countries like Uzbekistan earn their first World Cup qualification.
“It’s been a terrible two and a half to three years under Kalyan Chaubey’s leadership,” Bhutia said bluntly when considering the larger picture. Performances on the pitch have been subpar, while off-field administration has been disorganised and contentious. For the benefit of Indian football, it is time for him to resign.
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