New Delhi: Delhi Dynamos have relocated from the national capital to Bhubaneswar, Odisha after playing for five years at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, New Delhi.
This comes after Indian Super League (ISL) side FC Pune City closed down operations and was replaced by Hyderabad FC.
Delhi Dynamos, who have reached the semi-finals in 2015 and 2016, will be relocating their home to Bhubaneswar, the club announced after a formal agreement was signed by the Sports & Youth Services Department of the Odisha government and Delhi Soccer Private Limited on Saturday and will now be called Odisha FC.
Here's something that we want to say. No matter where we are, we will #RoarWithTheLions Read more: https://t.co/BZzv2VWcqb pic.twitter.com/kAuGhU3Nes — Delhi Dynamos FC (@DelhiDynamos) August 31, 2019
Bhubaneswar, in recent times, has emerged as a leading centre for sports in the nation, successfully hosting the 2018 Men's Hockey World Cup, the first two editions of the Super Cup.
Delhi Dynamos, or Odisha FC, will be playing their home games at the Kalinga Stadium, which already hosts the All India Football Federation's developmental side, Indian Arrows. The stadium was also THE first venue to be provisionally cleared for the upcoming FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup India 2020.
The club's first team, youth teams, youth football development program and grassroots football development program will be based out of Odisha, according to a release issued by the Sports & Youth Services Department.
Welcoming the move, Chief Minister of Odisha, Naveen Patnaik said: "I congratulate and extend a warm welcome to Odisha FC and Indian Super League. It is a significant development towards promotion of football in Odisha. I am sure this partnership would inspire our State's footballers to pursue the beautiful game of football with greater commitment."
Owner of the franchise Dr Anil Sharma said: "It hurts for me to move Delhi Dynamos FC away from the city of Delhi, but certain hard decisions had to be taken. I had a vision for the development of football in the country. And my vision has always made me strive for better. I feel the state of Odisha shares the same vision with me. As difficult as it was for me to take the call, I am immensely happy to say that the Government of Odisha is equally committed and determined to create an environment of sporting excellence in the state."
"It is a matter of pride for us to give the people of Odisha their own club that they can support and stand behind. Development of Football in the State is of priority to us. Earlier this week, we received the provisional clearance to host the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup India 2020 in Bhubaneswar. We are also home to the India U-16 and India U-19 teams as part of our partnership with the All India Football Federation. This project is a significant step in furthering the outreach of football in the state amongst budding footballers and sports lovers alike," Minister for Sports and Youth Services, Government of Odisha, Tusharkanti Behera said.