NEW DELHI: The
All India Football Federation
(
AIFF
) sacked head coach
Igor Stimac
on Monday after senior men's team's poor performance in the
2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers
.
Stimac, who took on the role in 2019 and received an extension last year, has been unable to lead India into the third round of the World Cup Qualifier.
The sacking comes after India's 1-2 loss to Qatar in their final second-round match.
"Noting the disappointing outcome of the Senior Men's National Team's FIFA World Cup 2026 qualification campaign, the members unanimously agreed that a new Head Coach would be best placed to take the team forward," the AIFF said in a statement.
"A notice of termination has been issued to Mr. Stimac by the AIFF Secretariat, and he stands relieved of his obligations with immediate effect."
The 56-year-old, who was part of Croatia's 1998 World Cup semifinal team, began managing the Blue Tigers in 2019 following Stephen Constantine's departure.
During his tenure, India won four significant trophies: 2 SAFF Championships, an Intercontinental Cup, and a Tri-Nations Series.
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