Mohammedan Sporting Club to get promoted to ISL: Who are they and what it means for Indian football?

In what comes as a major development in Indian football, Mohammedan Sporting Club on Saturday gained promotion to the Indian Super League (ISL), the top tier of the country’s club football system, provided they meet the Indian Club Licensing Premier 1 criteria. They did so after they defeated Shillong Lajong 2-1 at the SSA Stadium in Shillong that helped them also clinch their maiden I-League trophy.

So, who are Mohammedan Sporting Club and what does their promotion to ISL mean?

Who are Mohammedan Sporting?

Mohammedan Sporting Club is a football club based in Kolkata. The club was founded on 22 February 1891, and they were at the peak of their success in the 1930s and 1940s. In 1934, Mohammedan SC became the first native Indian club to win the Calcutta Football League (CFL) and would also win seven titles between 1934 and 1941, with the only season where they did not win in this period being in 1939. Mohun Bagan won the title that year.

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Defying the odds, embracing the glory.

Champions at last! 🏅

Tears of joy from our Directors as they celebrate after becoming the Champions of India! 🤩#JaanJaanMohammedan 💪🏼#BlackAndWhiteBrigade 🤍🖤 #ILeague 🏆 #IndianFootball ⚽ pic.twitter.com/OkcslCBm28

— Mohammedan SC (@MohammedanSC) April 7, 2024

In 1936, Mohammedan also completed a unique feat of winning the CFL as well as the IFA Shield in the same season. In 1940, when Mohammedan clinched their first-ever Durand Cup title. In 1948, Mohammedan would go onto win the CFL once again, but post India’s independence, Mohammedan struggled with financial difficulties and poor on-pitch performances.

In 1996, Mohammedan SC were one of the founding members of the National Football League (NFL), but lack of success on the football field meant that they were relegated to the NFL second division after finishing in the bottom half of their respective group. Mohammedan played in the NFL second division in 1997-98, 2000-01, 2002-03, 2004-05 seasons, winning the 2004-05 season to qualify back to the NFL.

Fast forward to 2013-14 season, Mohammedan SC were relegated to the I-League second division. This was at a time when the club lacked consistent performances and as a result, title victories were hard to come by. However, Mohammedan once again tasted success after they were promoted back to the I-League and would finish the 2021-22 season in second place, behind Gokulam FC.

Mohammedan have also won the now-defunct Aga Khan Gold Cup thrice. They won the title in 1959 and 1960, while sharing the trophy with Karachi Port Trust in 1964.

Improved funding and strategic partnerships over the recent years have helped Mohammedan Sporting Club to reach the higher echelons of Indian football. Under the guidance of head coach Andrey Chernyshov, Mohammedan would now aim to excel at the top level.

What Mohammedan’s success means?

When the ISL started in 2014, it was without any of the big three clubs from Kolkata but a decade later, the Indian Super League will witness all the three big clubs of Kolkata taking part: Mohun Bagan Super Giants, East Bengal FC and Mohammedan SC. This goes onto show the kind of success Kolkata has enjoyed as a footballing hotbed in the country and now that Mohammedan are in the top tier, it only adds to ISL’s reputation and would help in expanding the reach of the league.

Afterall, more Kolkata derbies will be on offer in the upcoming ISL season and that for fans will be a treat to watch out for.