Khalid Jamil Appointed India Football Head Coach

Khalid Jamil has been appointed as the head coach of the Indian men's national football team, becoming the first Indian in 13 years to hold the position after Spaniard Manolo Marquez's exit due to poor results. Jamil, a former India international and current Jamshedpur FC coach, was chosen from a shortlist including Stephen Constantine and Slovakian Stefan Tarkovic, with the AIFF highlighting his strong domestic credentials and success with underdog teams. He led Aizawl FC to a historic I-League title in 2017 and has twice earned the AIFF Coach of the Year award. Jamil's appointment aims to restore faith in Indian coaching talent and address India's recent struggles, including a slide to 133rd in FIFA rankings and a poor start to 2027 Asian Cup qualification. His immediate tasks include stabilizing the squad, integrating new players, and preparing for upcoming qualifiers. The decision has been widely welcomed as an opportunity for Indian coaches to prove themselves.