Football

Indian football team head coach Igor Stimac’s contract has been extended till September 2022 with an eye on the 2023 AFC Asian Cup, the All India Football Federation (AIFF) said on Monday. Stimac’s contract was initially set to run out in September 2021 with the previous extension coming in May this year.

The AIFF’s technical committee, which met on Monday, said that it has asked Stimac to “come up with a detailed long-term plan to take Indian football forward together”, while announcing the contract extension.

“The Committee deliberated at length, and reached a consensus that in view of the external factors which has had a huge impact on the footballing world in general, and with the National Team all set to begin their campaign in their quest to qualify for the AFC Asian Cup China 2023, Head Coach Igor Stimac be given an extension of his contract till September 2022. The AFC Asian Cup qualifiers will be played from February 2022 to September 2022,” said the AIFF.

“The Chairman requested Stimac to come up with a detailed long term plan to take Indian Football forward together,” it further said.

The AIFF further said that Stimac “made a presentation on the performance graph of the Senior Men’s National Team wherein he highlighted about the change in football philosophy, and emergence of future generation of the Blue Tigers in the National Team set-up”. Stimac has been India’s head coach since May 2019.