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Namdhari Football Club of Sri Bhaini Sahib, Ludhiana, are set to fill in a bid for a spot in the upcoming I-League season, the club exclusively disclosed to Sportskeeda.
The Namdhari sect, presently headed by Sri Satguru Uday Singh, has become synonymous with India's foray into hockey since the 1970s. However, with reduced interest in the sport, they decided to additionally venture into football with the Namdhari Football Academy in 2018.
Now with the All India Football Federation (AIFF) welcoming bids for a place in the I-League from various socio-economic backdrops, the club from Ludhiana are confident of securing a spot in the second-tier league.
"We will soon place our bid within a few weeks and we're confident of securing a spot in the I-League. We made our name in hockey, nurturing some of the best players in the country. But now we want to step into football and we have an ambition to play in the I-League and from there, enter the top-most league in the country," Sher Singh, who looks after all the sporting activities in the academy, exclusively told Sportskeeda.
Namdhari Football Club plans to play in the I-League from their home stadium in Ludiana
Furthermore, Sher Singh revealed that the federation has already had a conversation with the Namdhari Club when they visited their Sports Academy on April 17 to monitor their facilities. The club currently plan to play from their home stadium, Namdhari Football Ground. But it remains to be seen if it passes the AIFF inspection.
The academy receives funding from Namdhari Seeds Pvt. Ltd., one of the largest vegetable seed companies in the country. The club now hope to participate in the I-League with the same funding, without any external investors.
"Right now our squad just has local players from Punjab, but we will try to make some overseas signings once the bidding process is complete. Our academy players are well trained and hopefully can showcase their talent in the I-League," Sher Singh added.
The ultimate ambition of the club is to break into the Indian Super League (ISL) within a few seasons. But more importantly, Namdhari Football Club are inclined to revolutionize football in Punjab as they have done with hockey in the past.
