Pratiksha Ghosh
New Delhi May 22 2025:All India Football Federation (AIFF) president Kalyan Chaubey believes that permitting Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) cardholders to represent the national football team would significantly expand India’s talent base. This comes after early discussions between the AIFF and the Union Sports Ministry over potentially lifting the 2008 ban that bars OCI holders from representing India in sports.
“Several meetings with the Sports Ministry have taken place over the past 18 months,” stated Chaubey. “I’m hopeful that we’ll soon see OCI players in the Indian national team.”
Prominent players such as Danny Batth (Blackburn Rovers, EFL Championship), Yan Dhanda (Hearts of Midlothian, Scottish Premiership), and Omid Singh (Havadar, Iran) have already expressed interest in donning Indian colours.
The move, still in its initial stages, would require coordination with the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Ministry of External Affairs, including a mandatory background check that typically takes around 76 days. Despite the bureaucracy, Chaubey remains optimistic: “The government is keen on enabling Indian-origin athletes to represent the country.”
India currently restricts national team representation to Indian passport holders only. Critics have long argued this rule has hindered the country’s progress in global football and tennis. Before the rule came into effect, players like Shikha Uberoi and Prakash Amritraj competed for India in international tennis.
The recent revamp of the OCI portal by the Union Home Ministry, launched by Home Minister Amit Shah, has made the registration process more user-friendly. Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed the upgrade as a step forward in digital governance.
Chaubey, who also serves as joint secretary of the Indian Olympic Association and is a BJP state leader, has been at the center of several administrative controversies during his AIFF tenure since September 2022. These include the termination of head coach Igor Stimac’s contract and ongoing legal challenges. “Most accusations against me have been baseless,” said Chaubey. “Unfortunately, some people are more interested in character attacks than the development of Indian football.”
On the field, Indian football has seen a roller-coaster year. After winning three trophies in the summer of 2023, including a SAFF Championship triumph over Kuwait, performances have dipped. India’s FIFA ranking has fallen to 127, and the national team failed to qualify for the third round of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. A disappointing draw against Bangladesh in Shillong, where a retired Sunil Chhetri had to return to the squad, has raised concerns about the team’s depth.
India now faces Hong Kong in a crucial AFC Asian Cup qualifier on June 10, following a friendly against Thailand on June 4. Hong Kong, coached by former Bengaluru FC manager Ashley Westwood, will pose a stiff challenge, having already led Afghanistan to a 2-1 win over India in March.
Speculation also surrounds national team coach Manolo Márquez’s future. While Chaubey didn’t confirm his possible resignation, he hinted at Márquez potentially accepting a lucrative club offer.
Off the field, uncertainty looms with the Supreme Court yet to deliver a verdict on AIFF’s new constitution. Discussions over the Mutual Rights Agreement with Football Sports Development Limited (FSDL), which manages the Indian Super League, are also paused until the verdict is out.
Meanwhile, in a surprising development, India has submitted a bid to host the 2031 AFC Asian Cup, after opting out of the 2027 race. “We weren’t ready then, but we are now. The 2031 bid is a collective effort,” said Chaubey.
Despite recent setbacks, AIFF sees the inclusion of OCI players as a potential turning point. As Chaubey puts it, "It’s a long road, but the direction is right."
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