New Delhi: Former national team coach Igor Stimac has lodged a complaint with global governing body FIFA against the All India Football Federation for unilateral termination of contract.
Stimac, through his lawyer, has submitted relevant documents with FIFA Football Tribunal on Sunday, making it the first time an ex-national team coach has sought compensation for wrongful sacking, reports Hindustan Times.
Stimac’s assistants – strength and conditioning coach Luka Radman and goalkeepers’ coach Frano Srdarev – could settle for six months’ salary as compensation.
“It’s all in the hands of my lawyer. The case is very simple so I am confident about the final verdict,” Stimac told HT.
“Our position is very simple. My client’s contract was terminated from the position of the head coach without just cause. The compensation offered to the head coach by the national association is not acceptable and so we have approached the FIFA Football Tribunal,” Stimac’s lawyer Davor Radic said.
Forcible termination
After India failed to qualify for the third round of 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, the AIFF sacked Stimac offering him a three month compensation, as reported by News9 Sports on June 17.
It was rejected by the Croat outright with a threat of moving FIFA for forcible ending of contract without ‘just cause’.
On March 30 News9 Sports reported that Stimac was supposed to get $30,000 from February 2024 to January 2025 and $40,000 from February 25 to June 26.
Hence as per his contract, the AIFF is looking at a multi crore settlement if found guilty at the FIFA court.
Short of cash, the AIFF has earlier blamed two of its former officials for removal of a compensation clause from his updated contract.
Stimac was appointed in 2019 to take over from Stephen Constantine after which his contract was extended twice for duration of two years each.
Under Stimac India won three tournaments and rose to 99 in the FIFA rankings but slid to 124 after they couldn’t advance to the third round of qualifiers.
The former Croatia defender had said he would resign on failing to drive the team to the third round but didn’t do so.
He sought a month’s time from the AIFF to decide on his next career move but the federation sacked him in a manner that raised eyebrows, unwilling to give him any more time, forming a separate committee to handle his termination.
The AIFF had defended its decision, saying that he had to be removed as players were sceptical of his coaching methods and proceeded to appoint Manolo Marquez.
After India failed to qualify for the third round of 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, the AIFF sacked Igor Stimac offering him a three month compensation, which was rejected Football Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
