All India Football Federation Discusses OCI Players for National Team
Indian football is going to upgrade as All India Football Federation (AIFF) president Kalyan Chaubey wants to integrate Overseas Citizens of India (OCI) players into the national team setup. Acknowledging the ongoing struggle for a quality striker, Kalyan said they are actively working on policies to bring OCI players into the national team.
Sunil Chhetri came out of retirement to play for the Indian national team, exposing India’s over reliance on 40-year-old. Chettri helped India to win against Maldives (3-0) in a crucial AFC Asian Cup Qualifier buildup in Shillong. It was the Blue Tigers first win in 489 days.
Considering India’s critical situation, AIFF president Kalyan Chaubey came up with a solution to include OCI players in the national setup. He also described the move as a potential “game-changer”.
On the sidelines of the Khelo India Para Games 2025, Chaubey said, “We are making efforts to create a policy framework that allows us to utilise the talent of overseas Indian-origin (OCA) players.”
“Many countries have already done this, and until we establish clear guidelines, our national team selection will continue to follow existing rules. However, we must recognise that integrating these players could be a game-changer for Indian football.”
“At present, we are depending on a single player like Sunil Chhetri in crucial moments. The question remains – who will take his place? We need a long-term plan to develop Indian strikers, especially for the No. 9 and No. 10 positions,” Chaubey said, highlighting India’s over-reliance on Chhetri.
“Currently, most clubs prefer foreign strikers in these roles, which hampers the growth of Indian forwards. Our aim is to change that by creating better pathways for our players”, he added.
Praising Chhetri’s fantastic comeback Chaubey said, “Sunil Chhetri has been an inspiration for millions and a true leader on and off the field. His dedication and commitment to Indian football have set a benchmark for future generations. We are incredibly proud of everything he has achieved.”
To play for a country in FIFA, a player mandatorily needs a passport from that country, showing their name, birthday, birthplace, and nationality.
Some countries, like South Africa, the UK, the US, Brazil, France, and Australia, allow people to have two citizenships. This lets athletes with dual citizenship play for those countries. But India doesn’t allow two citizenships. So, a player has to give up their other citizenship and become an Indian citizen to play for India’s national team.
For example, in 2013, Izumi Arata gave up his Japanese passport to play for India. Igor Stimac, India’s former coach, wanted India to let talented players with Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) status play, even if they play in leagues around the world.
