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Indian Super League (ISL) side Bengaluru FC are all set to start a women's team, the club announced on Friday. The club will begin trials for its newly launched U11, U13 and U15 girls teams to eventually put up a senior women's team for the Indian Women's League (IWL) and the Karnataka Women's Football League (KWFL).
Bengaluru FC captain Sunil Chhetri featured in the club's announcement of the women's football division. He said:
''Bengaluru FC women is happening. Every individual at the club is buzzing about this update and as a captain, we are going to start with out U11, U13 and U15. Trust me, we are only going to grow from here.''
Bengaluru FC's announcement for the women's team will aide the Indian women's football team with player development, especially with the FIFA U-17 Women's Cup 2022 next year.
With the AFC Women's Championship also slated to be held in India in 2022, Bengaluru FC's involvement in women's football will set a precedent for every Indian football club to follow. The Blues have been at the forefront of many firsts in Indian football and continue to add new feathers to their cap.
Bengaluru FC's association with Rangers FC had previously allowed the Indian women's football team captain, Bala Devi, to sign a permanent contract with the Scottish Premiership side.
Bengaluru FC become the fourth ISL team to launch a women's team
Bengaluru FC women's football is expected to be based out of the BFC Residential Academy in Vijayanagar, Bellary and be part of the youth leagues of Karnataka women's football.
The Blues become the fourth Indian Super League (ISL) side to launch a women's football team. FC Pune City (now defunct) had a women's team playing in the Indian Women's League (IWL).
FC Goa and SC East Bengal's women's teams have been playing in the Goa Women's League and Calcutta Women's Football League respectively. While FC Goa founded their women's team in 2021, the Red and Golds relaunched their women's team in 2019, seventeen years after the inactivity of the women's team.
