Rajeev Sharma appointed AIFF Electoral Officer as SOM election set for November 23, 2026

Retired Haryana State Election Commissioner Rajeev Sharma has formally taken charge as the Electoral Officer in the All India Football Federation ahead of the AIFF elections scheduled for December 20, 2026. He has released the Sportspersons of Outstanding Merit (SOM) lists for the SOM election due to be held on November 23, 2026.

The AIFF has brought its election code of conduct into effect following Mr. Sharma’s appointment and the publication of the SOM lists. The released material comprises 40 names in total, split evenly between men’s and women’s categories, with separate lists issued for each gender. From these lists, four SOMs will be elected to the AIFF General Body.

The SOM Election on November 23, 2026 will determine which four individuals from the 40 listed secure seats on the General Body. The four elected SOMs will have voting rights at the AIFF General Body meeting scheduled for December 20, 2026 and will form part of the federation’s governance process. Mr. Sharma carried out the publication of the lists in his capacity as Electoral Officer.

The lists were prepared and finalised in compliance with the National Sports Governance Act, 2025, National Sports Governance Rules 2026 and the Bye laws of AIFF, the federation said. That procedural compliance underpins the eligibility and selection framework for the SOM voting process.

Khel Now reported that multiple known names associated with Indian football feature on the published lists. The article did not reproduce individual names but confirmed that both the men’s and women’s lists contain 20 entries each.

The immediate next steps are the AIFF SOM Election on November 23, 2026 to elect four SOMs, followed by the AIFF General Body meeting and the broader AIFF Elections on December 20, 2026.