AIFF To Include OCI Players In National Team, Says Kalyan Chaubey
In a significant development for Indian football, the All India Football Federation (AIFF) has decided to include Overseas Citizens of India (OCI) players in the national team. AIFF President Kalyan Chaubey described the move as a potential “game changer” in the history of Indian football. This decision was made after the team realized a shortage of reliable strikers following the retirement of 40-year-old Sunil Chhetri.
However, on Wednesday, Chhetri came out of retirement to lead India to a 3-0 victory over the Maldives in a crucial AFC Asian Cup Qualifier build-up match in Shillong. This win marked India’s first victory in 489 days.
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“We are making efforts to create a policy framework that allows us to utilize the talent of overseas Indian-origin (OCI) players,” Chaubey told PTI on the sidelines of the Khelo India Para Games 2025 in New Delhi.
Many countries, including South Africa, the United Kingdom, the United States, Brazil, France, and Australia, have recognized dual citizenship to attract athletic talent to their national teams. This allows athletes to represent their countries in international sports without renouncing their original citizenship. However, India does not recognize dual citizenship, meaning that any athlete wishing to play for the Indian national team must relinquish their current citizenship and obtain Indian citizenship to be eligible for selection.
In 2013, Izumi Arata renounced his Japanese citizenship to play for India.
During the press meet, Chaubey noted that until a proper guideline is established, the national team will continue to follow the existing rules.
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Highlighting India’s over-reliance on Chhetri, Chaubey said, “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.”
He further added, “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.”
