ISL: FSDL invites bids for new team, East Bengal’s entry a mere formality?

Football Sports Development Ltd (FSDL), the governing body that organises the Indian Super League (ISL), floated a notice of invitation to bid for new teams ahead of the 2020-21 season.

Currently, the ISL has 10 teams, but with Kolkata football giants East Bengal recently roping in Shree Cement as their investor, in all likelihood, they will be part of the country’s elite league from the upcoming season.

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As per the tender notice, FSDL has “invited bids from interested parties for the award of one additional team to enrol and participate in the Hero Indian Super League, from its seventh edition to be staged in 2020-21.” Bids have been invited from six cities – Delhi, Ludhiana, Ahmedabad, Kolkata, Silliguri and Bhopal. The bid documents will be open on September 7 and September 8, the last date to submit the bidding papers is 14th September.

All bidding parties have to fulfil the eligibility criteria and other requirements specified in the invitation to bid, only then will they be given a spot in the ISL. It is more than likely that East Bengal will be the sole bidders.

Once the bid is evaluated, East Bengal could get a confirmation of their place in ISL latest by September 25.

From what it looks like, with FSDL inviting bids within 48 hours of East Bengal’s investor announcement, the Red and Golds’ addition seems like a mere formality.

Also read: What East Bengal need to do to secure ISL entry this season