Hyderabad FC will be a new club competing in the Indian Super League from its sixth season, the league announced on its website on Tuesday.
It is reported that the club will replace FC Pune City in the competition with new owners taking over the club and triggering the shift from Pune to Hyderabad.
However, there was no mention of FC Pune City in the release on ISL’s website announcing the inception of Hyderabad FC.
“As Hero Indian Super League enters the 6th season, the fans from the city of Hyderabad will have a club of their own to cheer for. Hyderabad, a city that boasts of a strong football culture, will soon see its own team making its debut in the upcoming Hero Indian Super League season.
Vijay Madduri and Varun Tripuraneni are the new owners of the Hyderabad ISL club, which will play as Hyderabad Football Club (Hyderabad FC),” the opening part of the release read.
Tripuraneni who was the CEO of Kerala Blasters in the past expressed his delight at becoming a co-owner of an ISL team.
“It is a proud moment for me, to be co-owner of Hyderabad FC. Hyderabad is a city with great football culture. I look forward to working with key stakeholders and building a strong foundation for the club, which will eventually contribute to society and do the city proud. Our immediate task is to prepare for the new season,” he said.
FC Pune City struggling for funds and couldn’t find an investor to keep the club in the city, according to a report in Hindustan Times.
The report also stated that the players currently contracted with FC Pune City will be offered fresh contracts by the new owners.
However, new outfit Hyderabad FC will be exempt from the two-year transfer ban that was imposed on FC Pune City for illegally approaching Chennai City midfielder Nestor Gordillo as it will be a fresh franchise in operation, according to a report in ESPN India.
The new of ISL is slated to kick off on October 20 in Kochi with Kerala Blasters hosting ATK.