AIFF wants Jamil to take charge of India U-23 team, coach undecided

Panaji: The All India Football Federation (AIFF) has approached Jamshedpur FC coach Khalid Jamil with an offer to prepare the under-23 team for next year’s Asian Games and the AFC U-23 Asian Cup, qualifiers for which will be held in Sept.
The AIFF wants to start early with the preparations and has identified Jamil, contracted with Jamshedpur, as the best man for the job. Should be take up the job, he will be allowed to coach club and country.
“The AIFF has spoken to us as well as Khalid, but nothing has been decided,” Jamshedpur CEO Mukul Choudhari told TOI on Monday. “The decision has been left to Khalid. He has to decide. His stint with us has been outstanding.”
According to sources, Jamil is yet to make up his mind. AIFF officials will need to convince India’s best coach of the under-23 national team assignment’s importance.
Jamil has received rich praise from all quarters after taking Jamshedpur to the playoffs in the Indian Super League (ISL), with limited budget. Players too have improved under his tutelage. If proof was needed that the team’s performance in the ISL – where they lost narrowly against eventual champions Mohun Bagan Super Giant in the semis – was no flash in the pan, Jamshedpur made it to the final of the Super Cup for the first time.
“In terms of results, he is the best Indian coach, without any doubt,” said national team and FC Goa coach Manolo Marquez after his side defeated Jamshedpur in the Super Cup final. “People can like or not like his style of football, but the results are there. I don’t even need to speak. He (Jamil) was champion with Aizawl in I-League. He played the ISL playoff with Northeast United. He played the playoff this season with Jamshedpur. He has worked with teams that don’t have too much budget.”
The men’s football event at the Asian Games is an under-23 affair with each team allowed a field a maximum of three players above the age category.
The draw for the AFC U23 Asian Cup 2026 qualifiers will be held on May 29 in Kuala Lumpur.
The competition will follow a single round-robin format at centralised venues from Sept 1 to Sept 9. Eleven group winners and four best second-placed teams will advance to the final tournament in Saudi Arabia in 2026.