New national coach Khalid Jamil plans to use insider knowledge to the hilt

Khalid Jamil, the first Indian to coach the men’s national football team since 2012, plans to put his first knowledge of the players to good use in his first assignment at the CAFA Nations Cup later this month. The All India Football Federation (AIFF) has confirmed that the Jamshedpur FC coach has come on board on a two-year contract,  with an option to extend for another year.

Speaking to AIFF media, the 48-year-old former international midfielder said: “I am 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.”

Come Independence Day on Friday, Jamil will hold his first session with the Men in Blue at the Dravid–Padukone Centre for Sports Excellence in Bengaluru — for which the list of probables will be announced soon. The CAFA Nations Cup, his first assignment, will be a challenging one where India will face hosts Tajikistan (29 August), Iran (1 September) and Afghanistan (4 September) in Group B.

In the October FIFA window, India will play two crucial AFC Asian Cup 2027 qualifying matches against Singapore (9 and 14 October). They look virtually out of the race, as they languish at the bottom of Group C with one point from two games.

Now, the first homegrown coach since Savio Medeira in 2012, Jamil 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. The first major high point in his coaching career was leading Aizawl FC to the historic I-League title in 2016–17. His 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 in 2024–25 and the Kalinga Super Cup 2024.

A former India international with 15 caps to his name, Jamil made his debut in the 1997 SAFF Championship in Nepal, where India emerged top dog. He was part of the Indian squads for the 2002 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers and the 2001 Merdeka Tournament as well.

In his club-playing career, his combative character saw him win 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 and received strong endorsement from Dronacharya coaches like Bimal Ghosh and Armando Colaco. In the Santosh Trophy, Jamil represented Maharashtra, winning the title in 1999.