AIFF announces decision to withdraw AFC Asian Cup 2027 bid

The All India Football federation on Monday announced that it would be withdrawing its bid to host the 2027 AFC Asian Cup, saying that the Federation is currently focused on building the foundations for a proper footballing structure in the country. In a statement the AIFF Executive committee said that the current focus is on building the foundations for a proper structure rather than hosting big events.“Our current focus is building the foundations of proper footballing structure before thinking of hosting bigger events like the AFC Asian Cup,” said the Executive Committee in a statement. 

AIFF President Kalyan Chaubey said that the current focus is on achieving the fundamental goals to strengthen the sport in the country. AIFF Secretary General Dr. Shaji Prabhakaran also echoed the thoughts of the Executive Committee in his statement.As per report, the major reason behind the AIFF backing out of the race for the rights to host the 2027 AFC Asian Cup edition is because it doesn’t fit into the federation’s ‘strategic priorities’. The AIFF has also given a major update on its strategic roadmap for the future of Indian football. They’re claiming that their definitive plans for it will be announced before the end of the year.