All posts tagged: Diamond Harbour FC

AIFF agrees to four-year club-led ISL model after meeting with sports minister

AIFF agrees to four-year club-led ISL model after meeting with sports minister

Published by Webster

The All India Football Federation (AIFF) has agreed to a club-led model for the Indian Super League (ISL) for the next four seasons following discussions involving club representatives and Union Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya in New Delhi. Under the proposed arrangement, each participating club will contribute ₹1.1 crore per season to the AIFF. If all 14 clubs compete, the federation will receive ₹15.4 crore annually to support its regulatory responsibilities, including refereeing, legal affairs, integrity measures and anti-doping operations. The decision comes after negotiations between the federation and club owners, with sources indicating that AIFF had initially sought a higher financial contribution from clubs. However, the clubs maintained their position and secured support for the club-led framework. Representatives from almost all ISL clubs attended the meeting, with the exception of Jamshedpur FC. Newly promoted Diamond Harbour FC was also present, although uncertainty remains over the club’s participation amid an ongoing investigation into its operations. Promotion and relegation to continue under new structure One of the key outcomes of the discussions was the confirmation that promotion …

How Diamond Harbour FC rose to top-tier of Indian football

How Diamond Harbour FC rose to top-tier of Indian football

Published by Webster

In the landscape of Indian football, where new entities rarely get to sit at the same table as the legacy clubs, Diamond Harbour FC has just shattered the status quo. In just three seasons, the Kolkata outfit has leapfrogged from the lower divisions to the promised land of the Indian Super League (ISL), that too by becoming the 2025-26 Indian Football League champions. At the heart of this footballing fairytale is Kibu Vicuna, a man who has turned a project into a national phenomenon. “We have to understand that in four years, we haven’t had a single player who has been with us throughout. So it was an incredible journey to build the team, very fruitful in personal terms and also in sporting terms,” he told The Bridge. Going full circle in Indian Football Vicuna’s pedigree was never in question. Before arriving at Diamond Harbour, he had already left his mark on Indian football. His tenure at Mohun Bagan is still fondly remembered, having guided the Mariners to a dominant I-League title in 2019-20 that …

Diamond Harbour FC wins the Indian Football League title to earn a promotion to ISL

Diamond Harbour FC wins the Indian Football League title to earn a promotion to ISL

Published by Webster

Late drama unfolded in the closing moments as an injury-time goal from Hugo Díaz earned Diamond Harbour FC a 1-1 draw against Dempo SC at the PJN Stadium in Goa on Sunday. The point helped them clinch the Indian Football League 2025-26 title and continued their fairy tale run, climbing up four tiers in just three seasons and gaining promotion to the top tier, Indian Super League. Needing only a point to wrap up the title, Diamond Harbour were trailing from the 50th minute after Marcus Joseph gave Dempo SC the lead. A goal in the first minute of injury time ensured that they secured 29 points, thus winning their maiden IFL title, with a match to spare. The side from West Bengal won their third promotion in as many seasons after winning the I-League 3 and I-League 2 in the previous campaigns. Diamond Harbour showed signs of nervousness in the opening half hour, misplacing simple passes and lacking clarity in their attacking approach. The first chance of the game came for the home side …

Diamond Harbour FC clinch the 2024-25 I-League 3 trophy

Published by Webster

Diamond Harbour FC from Kolkata realised the dream they harboured right from the start of the season as they won the I-League 3 title defeating Chanmari FC 1-0 at the Naihati Stadium on Sunday. Midfielder Raghav Gupta’s stinging left-footed grounder from outside the box in the 29th minute made all the difference and brought an end to Chanmari’s eight-match winning run. Overall, the Mizoram side had a rather unimpressive day in office. Diamond Harbour, only in their third year in the business, not only qualified for the I-League 2 but also bagged their maiden national-level title. Whatever the scoreline may suggest, the match hardly went right down to the wire as the Kibu Vicuña-coached side had overwhelming control over the proceedings and could have easily won by a far bigger margin. The Bengal side with 69 per cent ball possession camped themselves around the Chanmari goal and opened up the rival defence time and again. Prolific striker Narohari Shrestha, with eight goals in his kitty in the tournament, missed a couple of easy chances. Shrestha, …