Vels FC, a new team from Tamil Nadu, will be entering the second division of Indian football, the I-League from the 2024/25 season. This is the first time in five years that a team from the state will be competing in the second tier of the football pyramid.
The club has unveiled their new logo, and recently announced trials inviting University students, state, national, Santosh Trophy and other I-League players to trial for their first team. Their kit looks impressive, with a dark green and black accented pattern, sponsored by Puma.
Vels FC announce I-League participation from the 2024/25 season
📸 | Vels FC have also announced their collaboration with German sportswear manufacturers, Puma, who’ll make the first team kits for the club in their debut I-League 24/25 season. 👕#IndianFootball pic.twitter.com/rZyBWRjER5
— 90ndstoppage (@90ndstoppage) April 21, 2024
Former Athletic Bilbao forward Gaizka Toquero has been unveiled as the official international ambassador for the club. However, a corporate entry process has not been publicly announced by them or by AIFF either. As a result, there is a lot of ambiguity on the situation at the moment.
Vels FC will likely be backed by the University after which it is named, whose founder and vice chancellor, Dr Ishari K Ganesh posted a message on social media regarding the same.
Until an official statement from the AIFF arrives, it’s better that the update is taken with a pinch of salt.
