The East Bengal FC has become the eleventh team to compete in the Indian Super League, which will be played across three venues in Goa, starting from November this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Nita Ambani, Football Sports Development Limited’s (FSDL) chairperson, welcomed East Bengal as the new team to compete in the 2020-2021 season on Sunday.
The East Bengal FC was recently acquired by Shree Cements. After the takeover, the club made a bid to participate in the top league of the country, joining its traditional rival Mohun Bagan that merged with the ISL champion ATK earlier this year. This completes the admission of the two historic clubs in the country’s elite football league.
Nita Ambani, the chairperson of FSDL said, “It is such a happy and proud moment for ISL as we welcome East Bengal FC and their millions of fans into the League. The inclusion of both legacy clubs, i.e. East Bengal and Mohun Bagan (now ATK Mohun Bagan) opens limitless possibilities for Indian football, especially for talent development in the state.”
Ambani also stressed on the importance of IPL growing across all states in the country.
She said, “West Bengal has made an immense contribution to the growth of the beautiful game in India. The ISL’s growing footprint in the state and across India is yet another step towards our mission of building a competitive and robust football ecosystem in the country.”
With the backing of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, East Bengal urged the All India Football Federation (AIFF) and the FSDL to ensure East Bengal’s entry in the ISL.
Hari Mohan Bangur, Shree Cement’s managing director, agreed to invest in the club and help the fans in achieving the dream of playing in the premier league of the country.
After getting positive news on Sunday, Bangur said, “The love for East Bengal and football was always there, and now we are making our dream a reality.”