Igor Stimac's future remains uncertain but contractual obstacles may complicate matters for AIFF - Reports
The Indian men’s team faced a devastating blow on Tuesday, June 11, when a controversial 2-1 defeat to Qatar dashed their hopes of advancing to the third round of the FIFA World Cup 2026 Qualifiers. Amid the immediate controversy surrounding Qatar’s opening goal, questions have also emerged regarding head coach Igor Stimac’s future.
The Blue Tigers have managed just one win in their last 11 games. According to a report from Times Now, Stimac’s future will be decided once the team returns to India.
However, dismissing Stimac is not as straightforward as it may appear. The report suggests several contractual barriers could pose challenges for the All India Football Federation (AIFF).
Stimac recently signed a contract extension until 2026, with a salary of USD 30,000 per month (around ₹25 lakhs). If the AIFF decides to terminate his contract prematurely, they would incur significant financial losses, potentially exceeding USD 750,000 (around ₹6 crores).
Additionally, Times Now reported that a source indicated Stimac might depart on ‘moral grounds,’ as he had vowed to lead India to the third round, or he might step down voluntarily. Speaking in March when India faced Afghanistan, Stimac said:
"If I don’t take India to the third round, I will leave, with my pride, with my honor on everything that was done here in the five years of work. I will leave my position to someone else."
However, after their elimination was sealed in Doha, the Croatian coach mentioned that internal discussions about his role would take place.
"That is something that we will discuss internally in the next few weeks to see where our future stands. There is nothing I can tell you now at this moment. It was obvious tonight that India has a good future in football," Stimac said after India's defeat to Qatar."
The AIFF’s decision remains uncertain, but according to the report, negotiating a mutual parting of ways with Stimac could be a viable solution if both parties agree on a similar course of action.
"We have to wait and see what he says in the next meeting" - AIFF Technical Committee chairman I. M. Vijayan
The AIFF Technical Committee chairman and former Indian captain I. M. Vijayan also shared his thoughts on Stimac’s future, highlighting potential financial complications if they opt to part ways with him.
Speaking to Sportstar, he mentioned:
"We have to wait and see what he says in the next meeting. He is under contract until 2026, so letting him go will make it an expensive affair. We will have to pay his salary until the end of his contract or until he finds another job. We will also have to get in a new coach and pay his salary too."
Vijayan, who played over 70 times for India, also disclosed that Stimac’s contract extension in October went against the technical committee’s recommendations, with the committee learning about the extension only through media reports.
In any case, most supporters have lost faith in Stimac and advocate for his departure. The decision regarding his future may come sooner rather than later.