India’s hopes of making it to the AFC Asian Cup 2027 took a major hit after a heartbreaking 0-1 loss to Hong Kong. This defeat followed a goalless draw against Bangladesh in their first match of the qualifiers, leaving India in a tough spot. The goal came from a penalty during stoppage time, crushing India’s chance of staying in the race.
Former Indian football captain Bhaichung Bhutia has strongly criticised the All India Football Federation (AIFF) after the loss. He said the system is broken and there is no clear plan to take Indian football forward.
Bhutia questioned the AIFF for reportedly promising the players USD 50,000 (around ₹41 lakh) if they had won the game. He pointed out the irony—players aren’t even receiving their daily allowance of ₹2,500, and most footballers don’t earn nearly as much as cricketers. He asked, “Where did this money come from, and would they give such bonuses in the next few games too?” Bhutia called these decisions random and confusing, with no long-term strategy.
In 2023, India had a good run—winning the Intercontinental Cup, Tri-Nation Tournament, and SAFF Championship—and even reached 99th in the FIFA rankings. But things started to fall apart soon after.
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India didn’t win a single game in 2024 until Sunil Chhetri returned from retirement to help India beat the Maldives 3-0. That was India’s first win in 489 days. Meanwhile, countries like Uzbekistan have already qualified for the FIFA World Cup, showing how far behind India has fallen.
Bhutia blamed AIFF President Kalyan Chaubey, saying the last few years under his leadership have been full of poor performance and bad management. He demanded that Chaubey step down immediately, saying, “It’s time for a change—for the sake of Indian football.”
