India coach Igor Stimac was sacked on Monday, just four days after the team’s 2026 World Cup dreams were shattered following a 2-1 loss to Qatar. This defeat dropped India to third place in its four-team group during the second round of Asia qualification, with only the top two teams advancing to the next stage.
The decision to end Stimac’s five-year tenure was made after a meeting of the All India Football Federation (AIFF). The AIFF mentioned in a statement that they saw the disappointing results of the qualification campaign and decided that a new head coach was needed to move the team forward. They expressed their gratitude to Stimac for his service to the national team and wished him the best in his future endeavors.
Stimac had faced a difficult year prior to his dismissal. India finished at the bottom of their Asian Cup group earlier this year with no goals scored, and also suffered a surprising loss to Afghanistan in World Cup qualifying. Despite some successes, including two South Asian Championships victories, Stimac vowed to resign if the team failed to progress to the next stage of World Cup qualifying in March.
A replacement for Stimac is expected to be named before India’s next match in September.
