In light of weather conditions in India, the All India Football Federation (AIFF) are looking to avoid hosting competitions such as the Super Cup and Indian Women’s League (IWL) during the hot months of April and May. The Super Cup was held in Kerala from April 3 to 25, while the ongoing IWL began on April 26 in Ahmedabad and ends on Friday, which the AIFF has acknowledged as not ideal.
AIFF President Kalyan Chaubey spoke at the SAFF Cup draw ceremony and said:
“This month, after the end of women’s league (IWL), the football season will end. It will be our endeavour how, considering the weather in our country, we can avoid holding football competitions in April and May. We do not want our players to struggle against the tough weather.”
The AIFF plans to give the national team more matches, including the Merdeka Cup in Malaysia and the Kings’ Cup in Thailand to give the Indian team enough matches ahead of the Asian Cup in January 2024. Moreover, the AIFF is hoping to play 20-25 quality matches to boost the confidence of the players.
Chaubey also explained two teams from the Middle East, Lebanon and Kuwait, were invited to play in this year’s SAFF Cup to introduce more competition. Lebanon is ranked 99th, while Kuwait is at 143rd. The lowest-ranking team in the tournament is Pakistan at 195th.