India head coach Khalid Jamil and players were denied entry to Kochi’s Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium ahead of an AFC Asian Cup qualifier due to a payment dispute, forcing the pre-match press conference to be cancelled.
Photo Credit: AIFF
Setting a new low in the already troubled state of Indian football, another shocking incident came to light on Thursday as a standoff unfolded at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Kochi. India men’s head coach Khalid Jamil and several players were reportedly denied entry to the venue.
The incident occurred ahead of India’s AFC Asian Cup qualifier against Hong Kong, with access to the stadium restricted due to an alleged payment dispute between the Kerala Football Association and the stadium authorities. As a result, the scheduled pre-match press conference had to be called off.
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After non-payment was cited as the reason behind the issue, KFA president Navas Meeran attempted to downplay the situation, describing it as a minor technical problem while assuring that the match will go ahead as planned.
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“The Asian Cup qualifier will go ahead as planned. What happened on Thursday was a minor technical problem, and it will be sorted out soon,” Meeran said.
According to reports, the Greater Cochin Development Authority (GCDA) demanded a security deposit of ₹20–25 lakh along with an additional ₹3 lakh as rent before granting access to the stadium. Officials reportedly refused entry until full payment was made, while the KFA sought more time to complete the formalities.
The All India Football Federation issued a statement confirming that the situation is being addressed and that the match will proceed as scheduled.
“The All India Football Federation (AIFF) would like to clarify that the upcoming AFC Asian Cup 2027 Qualifiers Final Round match between India and Hong Kong, China, scheduled to be played in Kochi, will proceed as planned,” the statement read.
“We remain in constant coordination with the Kerala Football Association (KFA) regarding the arrangements for the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium. We have full faith that the formalities will be completed by the Kerala Football Association with the local authorities,” it added.
AIFF Statement. pic.twitter.com/WazEBncs8i
— Indian Football (@IndianFootball) March 26, 2026
The AIFF further noted that the stadium is expected to come under the control of the match operations team from March 29, expressing confidence that all necessary procedures will be completed within the stipulated timeline.
India, already out of contention for qualification to the AFC Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2027, will use the upcoming fixture against Hong Kong as part of its preparation for future competitions.
Notably, this is not the first such incident at the venue. In February, Indian Super League side Kerala Blasters were also denied entry ahead of a match due to a similar payment dispute. The stadium is owned by the GCDA, while matches are organised through the KFA, highlighting ongoing coordination issues between the two bodies.
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