The Indian Super League (ISL) 2021-2022 champions Hyderabad FC is set to relocate their base to the capital city and is set to be rebranded Sporting Club Delhi (SCD) according to Indian Football expert Ashish Negi on his official X handle.
Hyderabad FC team management have been long pondering over relocation after ownership Jindal Football Pvt. Ltd faced financial challenges after their takeover of the club in 2024.
The management of the club communicated their desire to relocate to the All India Football Federation (AIFF) and the Football Sports Development Limited (FSDL) earlier in 2025 with plans to finalize the rebranding ahead of the start of the Indian Super League (ISL) 2025-2026 season.
Hyderabad FC Renamed as Sporting Club Delhi
On October 6, Indian football expert Ashish Negi posted on his official X handle confirming that Hyderabad FC has relocated to the nation’s capital Delhi and set to be rebranded as Sporting Club Delhi.
With the delay to the start of the ISL 2025-2026 season, the rebranded Sporting Club Delhi could take the field for the first time in the Super Cup 2025 in late October, depending on all the licensing and documentations.
The Sporting Club Delhi’s arrival is a massive boost for the nation’s capital as it puts Delhi back in India’s football map. Delhi has lacked an Indian top division club since Delhi Dynamos football club moved their base to Odisha and rebranded as Odisha FC.
The club is likely to play their matches at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in New Delhi. The venue has hosted several top-level matches and despite the lack of a Delhi-based club, Punjab FC played their home matches of the ISL 2024-2025 season at the same venue.
Hyderabad FC Brief History
Hyderabad FC was founded on August 27, 2019 by Vijay Madduri, a businessman, and Vijay Tripuraneni, the former CEO of Kerala Blasters FC. The club replaced FC Pune City which folded due to financial crisis.
In their inaugural season in 2019-2020, the club signed all of the former FC Pune City players. However, it was a disappointing campaign as they finished at the bottom of the points table with just 2 wins, 4 draws and 12 losses throughout the campaign.
Next season, it was a great comeback as they finished on 5th place and missed-out on the playoffs spot. However, the following season in 2021-2022, it was a fairytale as they won their first Indian Super League (ISL) trophy beating Kerala Blasters FC.
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They were trailing in the match 1-0 until 88th minute of the match when Sahil Tavora scored a stunning goal to equalize. It remained 1-1 at full-time and after extra-time. But The Nizams prevailed in the penalty shootout as they won 3-1.
The club remained competitive next season in 2022-2023 as they finished 2nd during the regular season behind Mumbai City FC and lost to ATK Mohun Bagan (now Mohun Bagan Super Giant) in the two-legged semi-final.
But then the downfall began from 2023-2024 season as they finished 12th, bottom of the table. The club was in a financial crisis with players’ salary was unpaid, vendors protested inside the stadium with banners for their dues and the club was at one stage forced to play an all Indian team with foreigners leaving the club.
In September 2024, finally the B.C Jindal Group, a Delhi-based company, completed the takeover of the club from the previous ownership of Vijay Tripuraneni and co.
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