A new dawn is here for Indian football. Khalid Jamal is set to take over as the head coach of the Indian national team, edging out contenders like former India coach Stephen Constantine and Slovakia’s Stefan Tarkovic. His tenure will kick off at the CAFA Nations Cup, scheduled to begin on August 29 in Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.
Jamal’s appointment marks a historic moment; he will become the first Indian to take charge of the national team since Savio Medeira’s stint in 2011-12. The AIFF Technical Committee, led by former India goalkeeper Subrata Pal, finalised its recommendation on July 22, selecting Khalid Jamil for the top job. The appointment was officially approved by the AIFF Executive Committee on August 1, entrusting Jamil with one of the most demanding and high-stakes roles in Indian football. The decision follows Manolo Marquez’s resignation last month, after a winless run spanning over a year of competitive fixtures.
Who is Khalid Jamil?
The 48-yr-old is currently the head coach of ISL side Jamshedpur FC, whom he guided to a fifth-place finish in the 2024–25 season. He remains the only Indian manager to have qualified for the ISL playoffs, achieving the feat with NorthEast United in the 2020–21 campaign.
A former India international who was a midfielder, Jamil earned 40 caps as a midfielder before transitioning into coaching in 2009 with a six-year tenure at Mumbai FC. He later led Aizawl FC to a historic I-League title and has also managed two of India’s most iconic clubs, East Bengal and Mohun Bagan. He is undoubtedly one of the best Indian football manager and is known for his ability to get the best out of underdog teams.
Jamil was born in Kuwait and is among the few to have won India’s top-flight league both as a player, lifting the title with Mahindra United in 2005, and as a coach, famously guiding Aizawl FC to the I-League crown in 2017. He also holds an AFC Pro Licence. Jamil began his club career in India with Mahindra United before moving to Air India in 1998.
He returned to Mahindra United in 2002, but recurring injuries limited his appearances and ultimately forced an early retirement. He later signed with Mumbai FC but never featured in a competitive match. Jamil’s contract with Jamshedpur is till 2026.
He is expected to take on a dual role, continuing with the club while also managing the national team at least until the conclusion of the 2025 Durand Cup, where Jamshedpur have already secured a spot in the quarterfinals.
What are the challenges ahead for Khalid Jamil?
Jamil’s first challenge as India’s head coach will be a tough one. The national team, currently ranked 133rd in the FIFA rankings, is set to participate in the CAFA Nations Cup later this month, where they will face formidable opponents like defending champions Iran and 2023 Asian Cup quarterfinalists Tajikistan.
While the tournament falls outside the official FIFA window, the timing, immediately after the Durand Cup final, means most of India’s first-team regulars are expected to be available. Notably, the CAFA Nations Cup permits fresh squad selection ahead of each match, giving Jamil a valuable chance to assess a wider pool of talent and experiment with different combinations ahead of a packed football calendar.