Indian Super League (ISL) side Jamshedpur FC announced on Wednesday the departure of Khalid Jamil, who will take on a full-time role as head coach of the Indian national team. Jamil has signed a two-year contract with the All India Football Federation (AIFF), with an option to extend it for an additional year.

Jamil guided Jamshedpur FC to the final of the Kalinga Super Cup 2025, the semi-finals of the ISL 2024–25 and the Kalinga Super Cup 2024, and most recently, to the quarter-finals of the ongoing Durand Cup.

“This is a proud moment for the club, its players, staff, fans, and the Indian football fraternity as an Indian coach takes charge to guide the nation towards AFC Asian Cup qualification to start with, a challenge we believe rests on his able shoulders,” said Jamshedpur FC in a statement on Wednesday.

Jamil's first assignment with the Blue Tigers will be the CAFA Nations Cup, where India will face hosts Tajikistan (August 29), IR Iran (September 1) and Afghanistan (September 4) in Group B.

In the October FIFA Window, India will play two crucial AFC Asian Cup 2027 qualifying matches against Singapore (October 9 and 14).

On signing his contract with the AIFF, Jamil said: "I am both deeply proud and immensely privileged to have been entrusted with the responsibility of leading our national team. Over the years, I’ve had the opportunity to train Indian players, and I’ve grown to understand their strengths and weaknesses intimately. These insights will be fundamental to everything we do as we prepare for the CAFA Nations Cup and the upcoming crucial Asian Cup Qualifiers against Singapore."

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