As the FIFA World Cup ۲۰۲۶ reached its final week, Gourav Roy, an Indian software engineer living in San Francisco, drove more than ۹,۶۵۰ kilometres (۶,۰۰۰ miles) across the United States to attend both the semifinals and the final.
For Roy, it was the next best thing to what he had grown up dreaming of: seeing India play in the World Cup.
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But the possibility of that dream coming true is looking ever more distant as deep-rooted systemic issues and the failure to implement reforms have left the country of ۱.۴۵ billion ranked a lowly ۱۳۸th in the world, failing to even qualify for the ۲۰۲۷ Asian Cup.
“I’ve learned to love without expectation. That’s the burden of the Indian football fan,” said Roy.
While countries with tiny populations like Curacao and Cape Verde qualified for the ۲۰۲۶ World Cup, India remains a prime example of wasted potential in the planet’s most popular sport.
Those working in Indian football say the problems range from poor youth development systems, a lack of popularity, and a national federation (the All India Football Federation) struggling to implement a uniform vision with a loose patchwork of state associations.
“If you ask me, to clean up the system and reorganise it will take a full cycle of four years,” Ravi Puskur, the CEO of Indian Super League (ISL) club FC Goa, told Reuters.
“Then it’s another ۲۰-۲۵ years to get us to the World Cup.”
Confined to pockets
In cricket-mad India, football remains popular only in a handful of states like West Bengal, Goa, Kerala, Mizoram and Manipur.
The ISL, launched in ۲۰۱۴ with the backing of Reliance Industries, one of India’s biggest conglomerates, tried to change that with limited success.
In ۲۰۲۵, the AIFF and Reliance did not renew their partnership as negotiations stalled amid a Supreme Court case to implement a new constitution for the federation.
This year, under new management led by clubs, the ISL is yet to finalise a broadcaster and announce fixtures.
NorthEast United CEO Mandar Tamhane, who previously led Bengaluru FC, said clubs alone cannot fix Indian football.
“You’re talking about the government, corporate India… it has to be a collective effort,” he said.
“The federation has to make sure the clubs, state associations, the corporates and other stakeholders all work together.”
Weak youth development
AIFF executive committee member and Mizoram’s sports minister Lalnghinglova Hmar said the government can help with infrastructure, but for Indian football to improve, the country’s youth development system needs a drastic overhaul.
“In South Korea and Japan, kids play over ۴۰ competitive matches per season. This is missing in India,” he said.
“We start developing players too late. Most under-۱۵ players get only ۱۲ to ۱۵ competitive games yearly. Some get called up to the youth national camp after playing less than ۲۰ competitive games.
“We’re short on qualified coaches. Many states don’t even have a youth league… we just can’t compete like that.”
But India’s size, the very thing that makes it an attractive sports market and led to the huge success of cricket’s Indian Premier League, also makes it difficult for the AIFF to implement widespread reforms.
“If even half the states were doing a proper job at grassroots, things would grow,” Hmar added.
The uncertainty over the ISL, which forced some teams to suspend player salaries last year, also dealt a blow to the clubs’ development programmes.
“If you can provide stability, gradually the investment will increase,” Puskur said.
A limited window
With India bidding to host the ۲۰۳۶ Olympics, the government is considering the launch of a “sports passport” that allows Indian-origin athletes to represent the country.
The AIFF leadership has backed the initiative, believing it will help improve the national team’s performances. But the proposal is still far from becoming law, and Hmar said Indian football needs to act fast.
“The other nations aren’t sitting idle… if we don’t match them, even if we improve, we will remain where we are,” he said.
While Indian football hangs in limbo, fans like Roy can only live in hope.
“They are talking about a ۶۴-team World Cup,” he said. “It won’t gift us anything, but more places mean more hope.”
