XtraTime Web Desk: Indian Super League (ISL), organizers Football Sports Development Limited (FSDL), met with the stakeholders of all 10 ISL clubs on Friday to discuss their future roadmap. As per sources, in the meeting FSDL made it clear that they aren’t willing to add any more teams in the next season. With this indication, there is a possibility that they don’t want to open any tender for any new franchise in 2020-21 season.
If this happens, then it will be a huge blow for Kolkata giants East Bengal as there have been a lot of speculations that the Red & Gold Brigade may play the ISL in the new season. After parting ways with their former investor Quess Corp the Kolkata based outfit is looking for new sponsors so they can bid to enter the top tier league of the country. Though with the current scenario, East Bengal may play the I-League for another season.
East Bengal’s arch-rivals Mohun Bagan has already merged with ATK for the forthcoming season to play the ISL, and it looks like the two Kolkata giants will play in different leagues at least in this season. East Bengal officials are trying their best to get sponsors for the next season, but it seems FSDL don’t want a new team in the league as of now.
Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic there is no possibility that the home and away games would be played this season, but FSDL and the AIFF are desperate to conduct the ISL in any circumstances as it’s the country’s top tier league. They are considering to host all the matches either at Goa or Kerala. It’s known to everyone that the fixture of next ISL will be made public on August 31, but whether East Bengal would be there or not that’s a million dollar question. As per sources new investor Prasun Mukherjee and East Bengal officials are in talks with the FSDL & AIFF officials but as FSDL don’t want to open any tender for any new team, the question is how the East Bengal officials plan on this matter.
Though as per the sources from the club it’s been learnt that the officials have signed a five-year agreement with Prasun Mukherjee’s company ‘Universal Success Enterprises Limited’. Now if they send the investors related papers to the AIFF & FSDL in next three days time then they might get a chance to play the ISL this season. Now it has to be seen whether they will follow ATK-Mohun Bagan’s 80-20 share rule or not. Earlier East Bengal officials shared 70% share to Quess a couple of years ago but they had the same members in the board of directors as Quess. This time they might have less members in the board.
On the other hand great news for East Bengal fans as there will be no change in the name of the club or logo, but there will be investor’s name on the team jersey.