Report: East Bengal to miss out, ISL to continue with 10 clubs in 2020-21

Even if the Red and Gold acquire a new sponsor in the coming week, the completion of the legal formalities will possibly take another 6-8 months.

East Bengal might not be able to participate in the seventh edition of the Indian Super League. The league's promoters Football Sports Development Limited (FSDL) had a meeting with the ISL clubs and plans for the upcoming campaign were laid out. Apparently, the ten teams that are currently part of the competition were the only ones that were considered in the scheme of things for the 2020-21 season.

The Kolkata giants regained their sporting rights from Quess Corporation Private Limited last week. The whole process took a considerable period of time, arguably due to the indecisive approach of the Bengaluru-based investors. There have been several noises lobbying for the induction of the Red and Gold Into the premier football league of the country.

However, a source close to the developments spoke to IANS and asserted, “Easy Bengal not playing ISL this season shouldn't be news anymore. The writing was on the wall for quite some time now, for those who understand the football administration and business of sports. For East Bengal to get an investor now and to be able to close the deal with all government regulations and legal work, it would still be early next year for the readiness.”

By all accounts, the club will require almost 6-8 months to settle the legalities involved, even if they acquire a new sponsor or an investor in the coming week. Moreover, the source suggests that the East Bengal management’s inability to function cohesively and maintain amicable relationships with their partners is a deterrent in this issue. “They have a negative perception in the market and that's not good for them,” the source told IANS.

The fact that new deals and partnerships require a substantial period of time to materialize is well known. The negotiations and subsequent completion of the merger of ATK and Mohun Bagan took almost a year to come about. Ever since the unified entity has disclosed that they will be competing in the upcoming season of the ISL, there has been a growing consensus for the entry of their arch-rivals into the league too.

The All India Football Federation (AIFF) has provided a seven-day extension to East Bengal’s deadline for the club licensing process. Recently, it was reported that the Singapore-based company named United Success Enterprises Limited (USEL) has begun talks to put money into the club. However, it remains to be seen whether this move actually transpires in the near future.

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