AIFF to restructure Indian football calendar to avoid hot summer months

The 2022-23 Indian football season began with I-League and the Super League last year and will end with the Indian Women’s League (IWL) on May 19.

Published : May 17, 2023 19:47 IST , New Delhi - 3 MINS READ

President Kalyan Chaubey also said that the AIFF will try to ensure that the national team plays against countries which are 5-6 places higher than the Blue Tigers in the FIFA rankings.
President Kalyan Chaubey also said that the AIFF will try to ensure that the national team plays against countries which are 5-6 places higher than the Blue Tigers in the FIFA rankings. | Photo Credit: AIFF Media
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President Kalyan Chaubey also said that the AIFF will try to ensure that the national team plays against countries which are 5-6 places higher than the Blue Tigers in the FIFA rankings. | Photo Credit: AIFF Media

The All India Football Federation would look to schedule the upcoming seasons with an aim to avoid the hot summers, AIFF president Kalyan Chaubey said on Wednesday.

“We do not want our players to struggle against the tough weather,” he said at the SAFF Championship draw here.

The 2022-23 Indian football season began with I-League and the Super League last year and will end with the Indian Women’s League (IWL) on May 19.

“This month, after the end of the Indian Women’s League (IWL), the football season will end. It will be our endeavour how – considering the weather in our country – we can avoid holding football competitions in April and May,” Chaubey said.

In the SAFF Championship draw here, India was grouped with Pakistan, Kuwait and Nepal and will face Pakistan in the opener, after five years.

The Blue Tigers – having completed the domestic season in April – are currently training in a preparatory camp in Bhubaneswar for the upcoming Intercontinental Cup.

“We’ve been trying to give the maximum number of international matches to the national team.

After the tri-nation tournament in Manipur (in March), the intercontinental cup coming up in Bhubaneswar and the SAFF Cup combined together, the national team will get 10 to 12 international matches,” he said.

Chaubey further added that India is also looking to play in the Merdeka Cup and Kings Cup in Thailand this year. India’s most important test awaits in January, next year, in the AFC Asian Cup, where it will face Australia, Syria and Uzbekistan

“All adding up, in the 9-10 months’ time (March 2023 to January 2024), the national team will play 20-22 matches, which has never happened in the history of Indian football,” he added.

Two nations have been added to the SAFF Championship this year – Kuwait and Lebanon. Lebanon is the highest-ranked side in the Championship this season (99).

The Blue Tigers – having completed the domestic season in April – are currently training in a preparatory camp in Bhubaneswar for the upcoming Intercontinental Cup.
The Blue Tigers – having completed the domestic season in April – are currently training in a preparatory camp in Bhubaneswar for the upcoming Intercontinental Cup. | Photo Credit: The Hindu / Ritu Raj Konwar
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The Blue Tigers – having completed the domestic season in April – are currently training in a preparatory camp in Bhubaneswar for the upcoming Intercontinental Cup. | Photo Credit: The Hindu / Ritu Raj Konwar

“India has won the tournament eight times. When we are not winning, we are runners-up (except in 2003 when India did not make it to the final). So, it has become very predictable if you know that a team will be in the final even before the start of the tournament.

This is not good for the tournament and not good for the competing players. So this time, we requested the SAFF president and office bearers to invite teams from other regions. That is why, we invited Kuwait and Lebanon,” he said.

He also said that the AIFF will try to ensure that the national team plays against countries which are 5-6 places higher than the Blue Tigers in the FIFA rankings. India is currently ranked 101st.

“Our effort will be to play around 20-25 quality matches in a year, which will boost the confidence of the players,” said the AIFF chief.

Chaubey also explained why two teams from the Middle East -- Lebanon and Kuwait -- were invited to play in the SAFF Cup.

“India has won the tournament eight times. When we are not winning, we are runners-up (except in 2003 when India did not make it to the final). So, it has become very predictable if you know that a team will be in the final even before the start of the tournament.

“This is not good for the tournament and not good for the competing players. So this time, we requested the SAFF president and office bearers to invite teams from other regions. That is why, we invited Kuwait and Lebanon.” Lebanon are the highest ranked side in the SAFF Cup at 99th while Kuwait are at 143rd. The lowest ranked team in the tournament is Pakistan at 195th.

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