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. The incident forced a press conference cancellation and drew sharp criticism, though the AIFF said the match will proceed as scheduled.

Kochi: In a move that has left fans and stakeholders reeling, Indian football has stumbled into yet another administrative nightmare. On Thursday, an embarrassing standoff unfolded at Kochi's Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium (JLN) when Indian men's football team head coach Khalid Jamil and several players were reportedly denied entry to the premises.

The sight of a national team coach being turned away from the venue has ignited a firestorm of criticism across social media, with fans labelling the incident a "national disgrace."

The incident, which occurred ahead of India’s AFC Asian Cup qualifier against Hong Kong, saw Jamil and a few players turned away from the stadium due to an alleged payment dispute between the Kerala Football Association and stadium authorities, forcing the pre-match press conference to be called off.

Indian football fans reacted strongly to the incident, with many calling the episode a 'new low' for Indian football. One user wrote, "Football is a global sport, we need to fix our footballing ecosystem… look at the revenue it generates globally and at the country level,” highlighting the contrast between India’s potential and its administrative lapses.