Indian Football Team Coach Igor Stimac extended his contract Until 2026

Indian senior national team head coach Igor Stimac's contract has been extended until 2026. All India Football Federation (AIFF) announced their decision on Thursday. As per the contract, the Coach will automatically get an extension by another two years if India qualify for the third round of FIFA World Cup Qualifiers.

Igor Stimac was a member of the Croatia side that finished third at the 1998 FIFA World Cup in France. He took charge of the Blue Tigers in 2019 and has won four major titles with the side, including two SAFF Championships.

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"The federation, the members have decided to extended the contract of our national team, Igor Stimac, until the 2026 World Cup Qualifiers. We have agreed to this, agreed to continue as one team," AIFF secretary general Shaji Prabhakaran said during a virtual interaction.

Stimac also guided the Indian men's team to the round of 16 at the Asian Games in Hangzhou, China. It is the first time in 13 years that the team has progressed this far in the tournament.

"We are seeking to ensure stability in the national team. What we have experienced in the last few months, winning back-to-back tournaments, the performance on the pitch, even in the Kings Cup match against Iraq was great "We can only progress, we can only improve from here. The process cannot be halted in between," Prabhakaran said.

Stimac got a fresh new offer as head coach of the senior team with the AIFF president Kalyan Chaubey proposing the contract extension.

"I feel a part of this family. I have huge trust in my staff. I appreciate the AIFF for placing their trust in us. It's been a busy last three-four days, and we know what is at stake here, we know we need to keep progressing. Having stable staff around me is important, it's important to have great people around," Stimac said.