New Delhi– The All India Football Federation (AIFF) has announced that Khalid Jamil has signed a two-year contract, with an option for a one-year extension, to become the full-time head coach of the Indian Senior Men’s National Team.
Unlike his predecessor Manolo Marquez — who split his time between the national team and FC Goa — Jamil will focus exclusively on the national side. He will begin his first training camp on August 15 at the Dravid–Padukone Centre for Sports Excellence in Bengaluru.
His debut assignment as head coach will be the CAFA Nations Cup later this month, where India will face hosts Tajikistan on August 29, Iran on September 1, and Afghanistan on September 4 in Group B. In the October FIFA window, India will play two crucial AFC Asian Cup 2027 qualifying matches against Singapore on October 9 and 14.
“I am both deeply proud and immensely privileged to have been entrusted with the responsibility of leading our national team,” Jamil said. “Over the years, I’ve had the opportunity to train Indian players and have come to understand their strengths and weaknesses intimately. These insights will be fundamental to everything we do as we prepare for the CAFA Nations Cup and the upcoming crucial Asian Cup Qualifiers against Singapore.”
Jamil becomes the first Indian to coach the men’s national team since Savio Medeira in 2012. He brings extensive experience from the Indian Super League and I-League, having managed Jamshedpur FC, NorthEast United FC, Aizawl FC, East Bengal FC, Mohun Bagan AC, and Mumbai FC. His most notable achievement came in 2016–17, when he led Aizawl FC to a historic I-League title.
Most recently, the 48-year-old guided Jamshedpur FC to the final of the 2025 Kalinga Super Cup, as well as the semi-finals of both the 2024–25 ISL Play-offs and the 2024 Kalinga Super Cup.
A former India international midfielder with 15 caps, Jamil made his national team debut in the 1997 SAFF Championship in Nepal, where India lifted the trophy. He was also part of the squads for the 2002 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers and the 2001 Merdeka Tournament.
During his club career, Jamil won the National Football League, two Federation Cups, and two IFA Shields with Mahindra United, and also played for Air India and Mumbai FC. At the state level, he represented Maharashtra in the Santosh Trophy, winning the title in 1999. (Source: IANS)
