As the Indian football team gears up for an international friendly against Thailand on Wednesday and a crucial AFC Asian Cup Qualifier against Hong Kong next week, a cloud of financial discontent has emerged over the national camp.
According to a report, some senior Indian players have raised concerns over non-payment of pending dues, including allowances, match fees, and performance bonuses, dating back to 2023—a year where India lifted three trophies under former head coach Igor Stimac.
An email highlighting the issue was sent to the All India Football Federation (AIFF) on behalf of the players on May 26. As quoted by The Telegraph, the mail stated: “Some of the Senior National Team Players have their previous allowances/fee/award winnings pending for a considerable amount of time.”
The message urged the federation to expedite the process. “We would be thankful if this matter can be looked into and settled as soon as possible since the players have already started another camp now, which will go on for a considerable amount of time.”
While the players are reportedly not looking for a public confrontation, they are seeking clarity on when the payments will be cleared.
“They play for the country, the badge. It’s an honour for them to represent the national team on the international stage, but the basic daily allowance needs to be paid. They do not want to be seen as mercenaries.”
The AIFF, however, denied any long-standing dues. M. Satyanarayan, deputy secretary general of the federation, said, “I can confirm that there are no long-pending dues for the national team players. Two senior AIFF officials — Subrata Paul, national team director, and Velu Dayalamani, national team manager who are stationed with the national team and they have not received any communication regarding any payment issues which need to be forwarded to the AIFF headquarters.”
He further added that some allowances are handled by the Sports Authority of India (SAI): “In such cases, the AIFF’s role is limited to forwarding the bank account details of the concerned individuals and following up on the matter, which the AIFF has been doing regularly.”
Despite this clarification, sources close to the players confirmed that the money has not yet been credited to their accounts.
Last year, the AIFF paid around $400,000 (approximately ₹3.36 crore) in compensation after parting ways with Igor Stimac, raising eyebrows within the football community considering the current stand-off over basic player allowances.
With the national team preparing for important fixtures, the timing of this issue only adds more stress to a side already under pressure to perform on the continental stage.
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