As part of the move, FIFA also stripped India of hosting the U17 Women’s World Cup.
The Football Association’s ruling comes after India’s Supreme Court ordered the committee to assume “day-to-day leadership” of the AIFF in May after its President Praful Patel failed to hold elections originally scheduled for December 2020.
In June, FIFA joined the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) in a trip to India where they “had constructive discussions with local stakeholders on the situation at the AIFF”.
“The meetings concluded that the next steps should be the ratification of the AIFF Statutes in accordance with the FIFA/AFC Principles of Good Governance and the holding of an Electoral Congress to elect the next AIFF leadership. This would be based on a timetable agreed by the AIFF stakeholders,” FIFA said.
However, just over two months after the joint trip, FIFA announced the suspension of the AIFF.
“The Executive Committee of the FIFA Council has unanimously decided to suspend the All India Football Federation (AIFF) with immediate effect for improper third-party interference, in a serious violation of the FIFA Statutes,” the statement said.
“The suspension will be lifted once an order establishing an Administrative Committee to assume the powers of the AIFF Executive Committee has been lifted and the AIFF administration regains full control of the day-to-day affairs of the AIFF.”
In a letter from FIFA Secretary General – Fatma Samoura – to her member associations, Samoura said: “The AIFF representatives and club teams are therefore no longer eligible to participate in international competitions until the suspension is lifted.
“It also means that neither the AIFF nor any of its members or officials may benefit from any development programme, course or training provided by FIFA and/or the AFC. In addition, we would like to remind you and your partners not to engage in sporting contact with the AIFF and/or its teams while the AIFF is suspended.”
Regarding the U17 Women’s World Cup, which is set to start on October 11, the statement read: “FIFA is assessing the next steps in view of the tournament and will escalate the matter to the Presidency of the Council if necessary.
“FIFA is in constant constructive contact with the Ministry of Youth and Sport in India and hopes that the case can still lead to a positive outcome.”
CNN has reached out to the AIFF for comment.