India to potentially lose hosting rights for U-17 Women’s World Cup

The world governing body of football - FIFA has given the All India Football Federation (AIFF) till 15 September to get things in order. The apex body has asked the association to complete the necessary changes to its constitution and elect new office bearers till mid-September to avoid a ban that could see the country losing their rights to host the U-17 Women’s World Cup.

The event is of huge significance to the country, who are far behind Europe in terms of football development. The Supreme Court of the country recently dissolved the AIFF executive committee over hogging power and failing to get an election done, which was due since 2020.

The court then appointed a three-member committee to run the body, amend



the AIFF's constitution and conduct elections that have been pending.

FIFA just like ICC mention in their code that member associations have to be free from political interference and has suspended other nations over similar cases.

FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation sent a team led by AFC General Secretary Windsor John to meet Indian football stakeholders, including sports minister Anurag Thakur, on a three-day visit that concluded on Thursday.

"The meetings concluded that the next steps should be the ratification of the AIFF statutes in line with FIFA/AFC principles of good governance and the holding of an electoral congress to choose the next AIFF leadership," the AFC said in a statement.