India set to be readmitted to world football and reinstated as hosts of the U17 Women's World Cup

August 26 - FIFA set to lift India's suspension and reinstate the country as hosts of October's U-17 Women's World Cup.

Insideworldfootball sources have confirmed that the world governing body has decided to welcome the Indian Football Federation (AIFF) back into the international football fraternity after being called in for third-party interference in the functioning of the federation and in accordance with article 14 of the FIFA statutes.

In May, India's Supreme Court dismissed longtime AIFF President Praful Patel and appointed a Committee of Trustees (CoA) to run the federation on a day-to-day basis, amend the constitution and call new elections .

However, the CoA deviated from a roadmap agreed between FIFA and the AFC and FIFA decided to suspend India and deprive the country of hosting rights for the Junior Women's tournament, and to bring about the withdrawal of Indian clubs from AFC competition.

It was embarrassing not only for national football officials, but also for the central government which expressed its ambition to develop the game in the second most populous country in the world, as well as to organize major events.

The country is in the running for bids to host the 2027 Asian Cup.

FIFA demanded that the CoA be repealed and that administrative control be returned to the AIFF. The Indians immediately complied with FIFA's wishes, with the Supreme Court returning control to the federation earlier this week in a bid to resolve the issues. This decision will allow FIFA to re-adopt the AIFF.

At the beginning of September, the Indian federation must organize new elections.

These elections are also shaping up to be contentious, with the far-right ruling party seeking to install Kalyan Chaubey, a BJP official in Bengal, as AIFF chairman. It is almost universally supported by state federations.

Former India captain Bhaichung Bhutia is the other presidential contender, but Bhutia currently only has the backing of Rajasthan and Andra Pradesh, leaving him unlikely to upset Chaubey.

Whoever wins will succeed Patel, a 65-year-old career politician, FIFA Council member and MP for the opposition Nationalist Congress Party, who overstayed in 2020 after completing three terms to the presidency. The AIFF failed to hold new elections due to a lawsuit challenging the federation's constitution. Two years after the dispute began, FIFA intervened.

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