The All India Football Federation (AIFF) posted a job listing on LinkedIn and other social media platforms this Wednesday, looking for a head coach for the national men's football team. This position became vacant this week after the team was eliminated from the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.

The AIFF's requirements for the new coach include a minimum of 10 to 15 years of elite coaching experience, having been a football player, or having managed a national team during World Cup qualifiers or a continental tournament.

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In return, the position offers unspecified compensation, as the federation asks candidates to submit their salary expectations along with their resume.

This is a crucial point for the federation, which, among its 15 requirements for the new coach, demands "a high level of football and personal excellence" while adhering to budgetary guidelines.

The former head coach, Croatian Igor Stimac, was dismissed by the AIFF last Monday after the men's team was eliminated in the second round of the World Cup qualifiers.

Stimac had a contract until 2026 and has requested compensation for the "unjust termination" of his contract, threatening to file a lawsuit if not compensated, according to the Indian agency PTI.

He also criticized the dismissal as "unprofessional and unethical," claiming the federation did not contact him directly.

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India, a country of around 1.4 billion people that has never reached the World Cup finals, aimed to advance to the third qualifying round but was eliminated last week after a controversial loss to Qatar.

Currently, India's men's team ranks 121st in the FIFA rankings, which includes 210 countries, marking their worst position since March 2017.