Bengaluru FC

Around the beginning of January 2013, word managed to get out about whether Mumbai Tigers (then Dodsal) had failed to register for the upcoming I-League 2nd Division.[10] It was also rumored that the club could instead enter the I-League, India's top football league, directly through a cash payment to the All India Football Federation (AIFF), India's football association, and if the club promised to create a new football stadium.[10] Later that month, on 12 January, it was announced that the AIFF had called for an executive meeting to decide whether to allow teams into the I-League directly for the 2013–14 season.[11] At around the same time, uncertainty started to arise over whether institutional clubs Air India or ONGC and then-suspended Mohun Bagan would be allowed to play in the league that season.[11]

During the AIFF executive meeting on 15 January, it was officially announced that the federation would be accepting bids from corporate groups for two new direct-entry clubs for the 2013–14 season.[12] This was being done in an effort to make the I-League more pan-Indian. The bidding corporate groups could only bid to create teams outside of Kolkata and Goa and they would have to create new infrastructure in their city.[12] The winning bids would be announced in March 2013 and they would be replacements for Air India and ONGC.[12]

On 8 March 2013, it was reported that JSW Group were interested in bidding for a spot in the I-League after contemplating making a team in Bangalore in the past.[13] It was also reported that AR Khaleel, the President of the Karnataka State Football Association and a senior official with the AIFF, had suggested Bangalore could be a host venue for the 2017 FIFA U-17 World Cup and that a corporate team in the city could help build new infrastructure.[13] A couple of months later, on 15 May 2013, it was announced that the AIFF had received three bids for two direct-entry spots.[14] The bids came from JSW Group, Dodsal Group, and a consortium from Kerala.[14]

Finally, on 28 May 2013, it was officially announced that JSW Group had won the rights to form a direct-entry team for the 2013–14 I-League season in Bangalore and that it would be done through their sports branch, JSW Sports.[15] It was also announced that JSW Group would set up a youth academy in Bangalore, as well as brand new infrastructure.[15] Two months later, on 20 July, JSW Group launched the club officially as "Bengaluru Football Club" while hosting a mega launch event at the Bangalore Football Stadium, which was also announced as the club's home stadium for the upcoming season.[1] Along with the club name and stadium, the club crest and colours were also unveiled as well as the team's home kit for the season and the squad.[1]

Straight away after winning the rights for a direct-entry side, JSW Group began the process of creating their team. The club's first signing was midfielder Thoi Singh from Mumbai Tigers.[16] On 2 July 2013, it was announced that former Blackburn Rovers assistant manager Ashley Westwood would become the club's first ever head coach.[17] A few weeks later, on 16 July, JSW Group signed the club's first two foreign players, defenders John Johnson and Curtis Osano.[18] Three days later, it was announced that the club had signed the India national team captain, Sunil Chhetri, from Sporting Portugal B.[19]

After the club launched, on 25 August 2013, Bengaluru played their first ever match, a friendly against the India national team during their preparations for the upcoming 2013 SAFF Championship.[20] The match ended 1–1 with Johnny Menyongar scoring Bengaluru's first goal and future Bengaluru player Lenny Rodrigues scoring India's equalizer.[20] A month later, on 22 September 2013, the club played their first official match in the I-League against Mohun Bagan at the Bangalore Football Stadium. After a scoreless first-half, Bengaluru scored their first ever official goal in the 49th minute through Sean Rooney.[21] However, in injury time, Mohun Bagan found an equalizer through Chinadorai Sabeeth to end the match 1–1.[21] It took until their next match though for Bengaluru to win their first match when they defeated Rangdajied United 3–0 at the Bangalore Football Stadium.[22]

The club played their first match away from home on 26 October 2013 against East Bengal at the Kalyani Stadium. The match would also turn out to be the first defeat for Bengaluru as they fell 2–0 to the Kolkata-based side.[23] Exactly a month later, on 26 November, the club would win their first away match against Salgaocar at the Duler Stadium. Bengaluru won 2–1.[24]

In January 2014, Bengaluru took part in their first domestic cup competition, the Federation Cup.[25] They played their first match in the tournament on 15 January 2014 against Sporting Goa at the Manjeri Stadium. Bengaluru won 5–3 but would then go on to draw and lose one match each as they would be knocked out in the group stage of the tournament.[26]

On 21 April 2014, Bengaluru defeated Dempo 4–2 at the Fatorda Stadium to claim their first I-League title in only their debut season.[27]

During the 2014–15 season, Bengaluru participated in the Federation Cup again. They claimed their first cup on 11 January 2015, defeating Dempo in the final 2–1. Despite the cup victory and entering the season as defending league champions, Bengaluru could not reclaim the I-League title as the club lost it on the last day of the season. They drew against Mohun Bagan in their last game 1–1 and thus gave Bagan the title. However, despite losing the title, Bengaluru did end the season with a 13-match unbeaten run. Besides playing in the league and cup, Bengaluru also participated in Asian club competition for the first time. The club failed the qualify for the AFC Champions League but they did manage to reach the Round of 16 for the AFC Cup.

The next season, Bengaluru managed to win their second I-League title. They defeated Salgaocar 2–0 at home on 17 April 2016 to confirm the league. The club was also able to advance further in the AFC Cup this season, reaching the quarter-finals of the AFC Cup after defeating Kitchee 3–2 in the Round of 16. However, despite the club's achievement, Ashley Westwood and club decided to part ways at the end of the season.

Bengaluru FC appointed former FC Barcelona assistant coach Albert Roca as the head coach for two seasons.[28] In his first game in charge of the club, Bengaluru FC won 1–0 against Tampines Rovers in the first leg of the quarter-finals of the AFC Cup, 2016. Subsequently, it went on to become the third Indian team to qualify for the semi-finals of the tournament. Under Roca, on 19 October 2016 Bengaluru FC became the first Indian team to qualify for the finals of the AFC Cup by defeating defending champions Johor Darul Ta'zim F.C. 3–1 at home in the 2nd leg of the semi-finals. On 5 November, Bengaluru F.C. competed against the Iraqi outfit Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya in the finals of the 2016 AFC Cup finals at the Suheim Bin Hamad Stadium in Qatar. However, Bengaluru emerged as runners-up- being defeated by Al Quwa by a narrow margin of 1–0.[29] Bengaluru FC became the first Indian football club to reach the finals of the competition. However, the first I-League under Roca wasn't as successful, as Bengaluru FC managed only fourth position, the lowest since 2013, in 2016–17 I-League after the winless streak of seven games between January and February 2017. The club won their second Federation Cup title under Albert Roca in 2017 defeating Mohun Bagan 2–0 in the final. The club also managed to reach Inter-zonal final in 2017 AFC Cup.

After two seasons as Assistant at Bengaluru FC, Carles Cuadrat took over the reins as the Head Coach in July 2018[30] for the first time in his career. His debut as Head Coach saw the Blues winning the fifth edition of the Indian Super League for first time in their history. In fact, the season was laden with multiple records, as the team went on a League-record 11 match unbeaten run while winning six matches in a row (another record). They became the first team to finish on top of the regular season twice in succession and also became the first team to win the title after finishing top in the league phase. In 2019–20, Bengaluru FC made it to the play-offs of the Indian Super League after finishing 3rd in the league phase managing to break the curse of the defending champions where apart from ATK in 2015, all defending champions had failed to make it to the top-4. Under Cuadrat, Bengaluru set a few new records in 2019–20, as they became the first team to keep 11 clean sheets. They also came to be known as the team deadly from set-pieces scoring almost 62% of their goals (15 goals from 24) from them. In fact, the Blues made the Sree Kanteerava Stadium a true Fortress, as they went on a 17-match unbeaten run at home. Towards the end of the 2019–20 season, Bengaluru notched their biggest-ever win after beating Paro FC 9–1 at the Kanteerava in the AFC Cup qualifiers.[31]

As of 20 June 2020[39]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player 1 GK Gurpreet Singh Sandhu 2 DF Rahul Bheke 3 DF Albert Serrán 4 DF Pratik Chaudhari 4 DF Sairuat Kima 5 DF Juanan 6 MF Erik Paartalu 7 MF Eugeneson Lyngdoh 8 MF Kean Lewis 10 DF Harmanjot Khabra 11 FW Sunil Chhetri (captain) 12 MF Raphael Augusto 13 DF Rino Anto 14 MF Dimas Delgado

No. Position Player 18 FW Thongkhosiem Haokip 19 FW Ashique Kuruniyan 21 FW Udanta Singh 23 FW Cleiton Silva 26 FW Deshorn Brown 27 MF Suresh Singh Wangjam 28 MF Parag Shrivas 32 GK Aditya Patra 33 DF Gursimrat Singh Gill 38 FW Leon Augustine — GK Lalthuammawia Ralte — DF Joe Zoherliana — DF Wungngayam Muirang

As of 8 March 2020

Name	Nationality	From	To	P	W	D	L	GF	GA	Win%
Ashley Westwood	England	2 July 2013	31 May 2016	89	49	17	23	144	103	055.06
Albert Roca	Spain	6 July 2016	31 May 2018	73	43	14	16	130	64	058.90
Carles Cuadrat	Spain	1 July 2018	present	49	25	10	14	75	51	051.02

• Indian Super League

Winners (1): 2018–19

Runners-up (1): 2017–18

• I-League

Winners (2): 2013–14,[48] 2015–16[49]

Runners-up (1): 2014–15

• Federation Cup

Winners (2) : 2014–15,[50] 2016–17[51]

• Indian Super Cup

Winners (1) : 2018[52]

• AFC Cup

Runner-up (1): 2016[53]