Khalid Jamil has been appointed full-time manager of the senior men’s squad for a two-year term, with the possibility of a one-year extension based on performance, according to the All India Football Federation (AIFF) on Wednesday.
According to the AIFF, Jamil signed the deal after leaving the ISL squad Jamshedpur FC.
On August 15, Jamil will start his first training camp at Bengaluru’s Dravid-Padukone Centre for Sports Excellence.
The CAFA Nations Cup, where India will play hosts Tajikistan (August 29), Iran (September 1), and Afghanistan (September 4) in Group B, will be his maiden assignment with the Blue Tigers.
India will face Singapore in two pivotal AFC Asian Cup 2027 qualification matches during the October FIFA Window on October 9 and 14.
Jamil said, “I am both deeply proud and immensely 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.”
He took Manolo Marquez’s place when the AIFF ended his contract last month.
With a wealth of coaching experience in the Indian Super League and the I-League, including guiding teams like Mumbai FC, Mohun Bagan AC, Aizawl FC, East Bengal FC, NorthEast United FC, and Jamshedpur FC, Jamil is the first Indian to coach the men’s national side since Savio Medeira in 2012.
In 2016–17, he sensationally guided Aizawl FC to a historic I-League championship.
During the 48-year-old’s most recent stint with Jamshedpur FC, the Red Miners advanced to the Super Cup 2025 final, the ISL 2024–25 semifinals, and the Super Cup 2024.
Jamil has earned 15 caps as a former India international. He started as a midfielder at the 1997 SAFF Championship in Nepal, where India won. He was a member of the Indian teams that competed in the 2001 Merdeka Tournament and the 2002 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers.
Jamil won two Federation Cups, two IFA Shields, and the National Football League during his time playing with Mahindra United. He also wore the Mumbai FC and Air India shirts.
In 1999, Jamil won the Santosh Trophy while playing for Maharashtra.
