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XtraTime Web Desk: Delhi’s Sudeva FC has got the official permission to play the 2020-21 I-League after they won a bid to get a direct entry in the tournament. The decision to add the Delhi based outfit in the League was taken by AIFF’s Bid Evaluation Committee who met in a meeting through video conference on Wednesday. The other team that got the permission to play the next season’s I-League is Sreenidhi FC.

With Sudeva’s entry as of now there are now 11 teams in the league for the next season. Defending I-League champions Mohun Bagan has merged with Indian Super League (ISL) champions ATK and formed a new entity ATK Mohun Bagan and they will play India’s top tier league ISL.

"After scrutinising the clarifications sought for from the submitted documents, and also presentations from the respective bidders in the previous meeting (July 31, 2020), the Committee, after consultation with PwC decided to grant playing rights to Sudeva in the forthcoming Hero I-League 2020-21," an AIFF release said.

"The Committee also granted playing rights to Sreenidhi in the Hero I-League from 2021-22 onwards."

Sudeva FC was earlier known as Moonlight FC, with the current management taking control of the club in 2016.

Football Delhi President Shaji Prabhakaran described Sudeva's entry into the I-League as a "historic development".

"It is indeed a red letter day in the history of football in Delhi that a grand old club from Delhi will be part of I-League. The significance of this one decision by AIFF is going to be immense in changing the face of football in the Capital City," he said.

"We will work closely with Sudeva FC and extend all possible support to make the club successful in its journey."