Indian Football Crisis: Sunil Chhetri Fronts Players’ Video Appeal to FIFA

Indian football icon Sunil Chhetri, along with several national teammates and foreign players, has made a last-ditch appeal to FIFA, urging the world governing body to intervene and help rescue the sport amid an ongoing crisis in the country.

Chhetri appeared in a video message alongside Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, Sandesh Jhingan and Rahul Bheke, calling on FIFA to step in and help restart India’s top-tier league, which has remained suspended for months. The players said the All India Football Federation (AIFF) is no longer able to fulfil its responsibilities, pushing Indian football towards a state of paralysis.

Gurpreet opened the video by noting that January is typically when players are actively competing in the league. Instead, he said, uncertainty has gripped the sport, leaving players, clubs, staff and fans in limbo.

“It’s January and we should be on your screens playing competitive football in the Indian Super League. Instead, we are here, driven by fear and desperation,” the players said. “Indian football governance is no longer able to fulfil its responsibilities. We are staring at a permanent paralysis. This is a last-ditch effort to save what we can, and we are calling on FIFA to step in and do what it takes to save Indian football.”

The players stressed that their appeal was neither political nor confrontational, but born out of urgency, describing the situation as a humanitarian, sporting and economic crisis. “Players, staff, owners and fans deserve clarity, protection and, most importantly, a future. We just want to play football. Please help us do that,” they added.

The Indian Super League (ISL) has been suspended since September last year after organisers failed to secure a commercial partner to operate the league. The prolonged uncertainty has already had tangible fallout, with the City Football Group ending its association with Mumbai City FC and exiting the ISL, while Odisha FC is also reportedly considering a withdrawal.