East Bengal FC submit bid papers to play ISL 2020-21
3-time National League champions and Kolkata giants East Bengal Football Club have submitted the Invitation to Bid (ITB) documents to Football Sports Development Limited (FSDL) to participate in the Indian Super League 2020-21. The club have also dispatched the physical papers to the FSDL headquarters in Mumbai which are expected to arrive there by 17th September.
A new consortium to sort out legal boundaries for East Bengal
East Bengal Football Club have sold majority shares (76%) to Kolkata-based Cement manufacturers Shree Cements with assistance from the Chief Minister of West Bengal, Smt. Mamata Banerjee.
The Benu Gopal Bangur-led Cements Company have formed a Shree Cements East Bengal Foundation Consortium. 74% stake of the consortium will be with Shree Cements while the other 26% will be with East Bengal Club.
The Consortium has bought 100% stakes of East Bengal Football Club Private Limited which will oversee the football activities of the football club. There were reports about a legal blockade due to the differences in the company names which have applied for the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Club License.
However, after deliberations with the All India Football Federation (AIFF), the issue has been resolved.
East Bengal FC, powered by Shree Cement, will be the 11th Indian Super League team and will join ATK Mohun Bagan to become the second representative from the City of Joy, Kolkata. This will be the first instance when the franchise football league will have two teams from the same city.
The official announcement from the Football Sports Development Limited (FSDL) is expected to be made any day between 19th and 25th September. The club has received resumes of several coaches and footballers, as the Red and Golds will have to form their roster within weeks to participate in the ISL and put up a competitive show.
Names like Ibrahim Affelay, Demba Cisse, Michael Olunga and Joseba Beitia have emerged in reports. Head coaches like Eusobio Sacristan, Stephen Constantine and Risto Vidokovic are also in the fray.
The 11th edition of the Indian Super league will be played behind closed doors in Goa, and East Bengal are set to assigned one of the grounds among Navelim, Panjim and Sesa in Goa.