The second half of the 2023-24 Indian Super League (ISL) season is poised to recommence on January 31, with Jamshedpur FC hosting NorthEast United FC. The ISL league stages are scheduled to extend until April 14, concluding just before the playoffs, thereby concluding the 2023-24 Indian football season before May. Stimac, who has consistently advocated for longer preparatory camps, may have only a week or so with his full squad before the first game against Afghanistan.
However, this timeline poses a challenge for the Indian Football Team’s preparation for the FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifiers against Afghanistan in March. The crucial clash is set for March 21, but with the ISL stages continuing until March 14, head coach Igor Stimac faces limited time to prepare his squad.
The tight schedule is further complicated by fixtures involving heavyweight ISL sides, Mohun Bagan Super Giant and Kerala Blasters, with their internationals facing constraints in joining the training camp ahead of the critical fixtures against Afghanistan in March.
Players from teams concluding their ISL duties before the March international break could be asked to join the preparatory camp a few days earlier, but logistical challenges remain. Notably, players from FC Goa and Bengaluru FC, integral to the Indian squad, are engaged in ISL duties until March 14, leaving them with minimal time to gear up for the crucial World Cup qualifier against Afghanistan on March 21.
