Former ISL champions, Hyderabad FC, has decided to move over from the City to Delhi “to develop a professionally run football club that reflects the values and aspirations of a new generation of fans in Delhi and across India.”

This was the message conveyed by the top brass of HFC to the All India Football Federation, according to an official of the Telangana Football Association.

‘It is disappointing, for sure, not to have a City-based team in the ISL. But again, these are things which are not in our control,” he informed ‘Telangana Today’.

The ISL franchise has informed that they possessed “significant land in New Delhi which they have earmarked for and envision as the centre of operations and the future home of our football team and football in Delhi”.

For the record, HFC finished 12th in the 13-team League with just four wins from 24 games, with stand-by coach Shameel Chembakath taking care of the team for most of the 2024-25 season after the chief coach Thanboi Singto parted ways in December.

However, former India international and captain Shabbir Ali and another former India international Victor Amalraj were disappointed with the decision. Shabbir Ali, the 69-year-old former striker who is the first Indian footballer to have received the prestigious Dhyanchand award, commented, “This will be a big blow for the youngsters. With HFC there the young generation were playing the game to fulfil their dream of becoming professional footballers in the future. HFC and Sreenidi Deccan were an inspiration to them. Now that is shattered.”

Amalraj also feels that even though HFC did not have any local footballer HFC created an impact in Hyderabad football through it presence. Now the football lovers, especially the young footballers of this state will have difficulty to identify themselves in the mainstream of Indian football.”