Indian football coach, players stopped from entering Kochi stadium over pending dues ​

India’s preparation for their AFC Asian Cup qualifier faced an unexpected setback after head coach Khalid Jamil and a few players were stopped from entering the Jawaharlal Nehru International Stadium in Kochi due to a payment dispute.

The incident took place just before a scheduled pre-match press conference ahead of India’s match against Hong Kong. Along with Jamil, players Ashique Kuruniyan, Sahal Abdul Samad, and Bijoy Varghese were also denied entry by security staff. The issue reportedly arose because certain payments related to stadium usage had not been cleared.

Officials from the Greater Cochin Development Authority (GCDA), which manages the stadium, insisted on full payment before allowing access. Reports suggest that a security deposit of around ₹20–25 lakh and an additional rent amount were pending. On the other hand, the Kerala Football Association requested more time to settle the dues.

KFA president Navas Meeran tried to ease concerns by calling it a minor technical issue and assured that the upcoming match would not be affected. However, the situation caused inconvenience as the coach had to leave after waiting outside, and journalists were also not allowed inside the stadium.

This is not the first time such a problem has occurred at the venue. A similar dispute earlier this year had also affected players of Kerala Blasters. These repeated issues highlight gaps in coordination between authorities.

While the match against Hong Kong is expected to go ahead as planned, the incident has once again raised questions about management and planning in the football team.