Kolkata: Football Federation of Bharat. It will have to be greenlit at several levels but that is what All India Football Federation (AIFF) would like to be renamed as. The proposal was accepted at a special general body meeting on Saturday, three days before the federation’s 90th birthday.
If approved, India football teams will be known as the national teams of Bharat, Kalyan Chaubey, All India Football Federation (AIFF) president, told HT. The name Bharat has been used at international summits as well, he said. “Traditionally, India is known as Bharat so we thought Indian football should reflect that even on the international stage.”
Chaubey said AIFF will approach the Union sports ministry. If the ministry okays it, AIFF will seek approval from its general body and approach FIFA. A representative each from FIFA and Asian Football Confederation (AFC) attended the meeting.
AIFF has also accepted Chaubey’s suggestion that “Jana Gana Mana” and “Vande Mataram” be played before matches organised by the federation. “Singing the national anthem and Vande Mataram, our national song, will generate more nationalism in boys and girls when they start as footballers. So, the mindset will be different when they wear the national team jersey,” he said.
Barring last season, the national anthem was played before matches in Indian Super League (ISL). The decision to use it in ISL and Indian Football League, the second tier competition in the men’s pyramid, and in Indian Women’s League, all of which allows foreigners on the pitch at all times, will depend on feedback from the leagues’ governing councils, said Chaubey.
The SGM also approved changing the Asian quota in four foreigners for ISL, likely to start with 14 teams on September 4, and IFL to a player who can qualify as an Overseas Citizen of India (OCI). It also made it mandatory to have an Indian striker on the pitch through the duration of an ISL and IFL game. The proposals were reported by HT on June 9.
“It will give us a pool of overseas players and Indian strikers assured of game time,” said Chaubey. However, given that the position of outfield players are fluid, it is not clear how the rule about Indian strikers will be implemented.
AIFF’s revised constitution, prepared at an SGM in May to align with the National Sports Governance Act 2025, was also approved at the meeting.
