New Delhi, Aug 13 (IANS) The All India Football Federation has confirmed that Khalid Jamil has signed a two-year contract, with an option to extend for another year, as the head coach of the Indian Senior Men’s National Team.

With previous head coach Manolo Marquez having taken a dual role with the national team and FC Goa, many questioned whether Jamil will take a similar role with his commitment to Jamshedpur FC.

Jamil will exclusively take charge of the national team on a full-time basis and will begin his first training camp on August 15 at the Dravid-Padukone Centre for Sports Excellence in Bengaluru.

His first assignment with the national team will be the CAFA Nations Cup, where India will face hosts Tajikistan (August 29), Iran (September 1) and Afghanistan (September 4) in Group B. In the October FIFA window, India will play two crucial AFC Asian Cup 2027 qualifying matches against Singapore (October 9 and 14).

“I am both deeply proud and immensely privileged to have been entrusted with the responsibility of leading our national team. Over the years, I’ve had the opportunity to train Indian players, and I’ve grown to understand their strengths and weaknesses intimately. These insights will be fundamental to everything we do as we prepare for the CAFA Nations Cup and the upcoming crucial Asian Cup Qualifiers against Singapore,” Jamil said.

Jamil, the first Indian to coach the men’s national team since Savio Medeira in 2012, has extensive coaching experience in the Indian Super League and the I-League, managing clubs like Jamshedpur FC, NorthEast United FC, Aizawl FC, East Bengal FC, Mohun Bagan AC and Mumbai FC. He sensationally led Aizawl FC to the historic I-League title in 2016-17.

The 48-year-old’s most recent spell with Jamshedpur FC saw the Red Miners reach the final of the Kalinga Super Cup 2025, and the semi-finals of the ISL Play-offs 2024-25 and the Kalinga Super Cup 2024.

He is a former India international with 15 caps to his name. A midfielder, he made his debut in the 1997 SAFF Championship in Nepal, where India emerged champions. He was part of the Indian squads for the 2002 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers and the 2001 Merdeka Tournament.

In his club playing career, Jamil won the National Football League, two Federation Cups and two IFA Shields with Mahindra United. He also donned the shirts of Air India and Mumbai FC. In the Santosh Trophy, Jamil represented Maharashtra, with whom he won the title in 1999.

–IANS

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