No chartered flight for Stimac’s squad to Saudi Arabia for World Cup Qualifier

The All India Football Federation (AIFF) will not be arranging a chartered flight for the senior national men’s team traveling to Abha in Saudi Arabia for their World Cup qualifier against Afghanistan on March 21.

The decision, revealed less than a week after AIFF President Kalyan Chaubey's assurance to India head coach Igor Stimac, cited cost and unavailability of suitable aircraft capable of carrying the 40-odd contingent, including staff.

Instead, the squad is set to depart from Delhi to Jeddah, and then proceed to Abha. An AIFF official, who preferred to remain anonymous, stated to Hindustan Times logistical challenges prevented the arrangement of a chartered flight.

Players traveling from the FC Goa-Bengaluru FC match in Goa on Thursday will have separate travel arrangements. The first batch departing from Delhi is expected to reach Abha on Friday evening, while the group from Goa will arrive around noon on Saturday.

This decision follows a recent media release from the AIFF, wherein Chaubey had emphasized the organization's commitment to addressing the team's logistical concerns. Stimac had raised concerns about the necessity of changing flights, potentially affecting crucial training and acclimatization time in Abha, situated at an elevation of 2270 meters above sea level.