Jerseys have been bought, banners made and lucky charms kept armed and ready as Bengaluru FC (BFC) fans gear up for the team’s first Indian Super League (ISL) match set to happen at Kanteerava Stadium this Sunday. With the stadium coming alive with chants, cheers and songs, comedian Nithin M Kamath, is most excited to experience this fan culture again as he says, “It is unmatchable. There’s nothing like what happens in Kanteerava two hours before the match – you get your jerseys, have your colours and flares out...BFC has one of the best fan cultures.”
Member of the fanclub West Block Blues, Rakesh Haridas, adds, “It’s the community that we’ve built, the people, and the hugs that we miss. It’s just that feeling of being in a crowd which has been missing for the last six months.” This season is especially meaningful for fans given that the team lost the cup by a whisker to Mohun Bagan last year in the finals “It was heartbreaking, especially with everything else working in Bengaluru’s favour, like RCB’s men and women’s teams winning,” recalls Kamath.
The matches against the defending champions, along with BFC’s longtime rivals Kerala Blasters, are the highlights for fans, who are confident about their team’s chances in Sunday’s game against Delhi and their ability to bring the cup home. BCom student Samar Minhas says confidently, “SC Delhi’s recent form was not that great; considering that and the fact that we reached the finals last season, I’m sure we definitely have a good shot at the cup!” Content and marketing strategist, Aakanksha Singh Devi adds, “I’m almost toxic positive when it comes to BFC. So, of course, the first match is definitely ours and the cup as well. We also have Ryan Williams, Sunil Chhetri and Gurpreet Singh – there’s a fairly strong squad.”
Bittersweet Beginnings
After months of uncertainty surrounding the ISL being unable to secure a sponsorship contract in time for the season to start as planned in September, fans are feeling immense relief alongside the pre-season excitement.
“Just the fact that football is back in our life is great. This [attending the ISL] was a habit for the last many years, so not having it was a bad space to be in, as this is where our friend circles are. Irrespective of who is playing, we just want to be back in our happy place,” says Haridas.
Despite gearing up to cheer for her team at the game, Devi too, cannot deny the cloud that looms over this season, especially with players taking pay cuts and returning for a truncated season – the last season was held from September 2024 to April 2025, while this season is happening from February to May 2026. She says, “It doesn’t feel fair to anyone, the fans, the teams, or the players. It’s only the buzz and the atmosphere that I’m looking forward to. But there was a tussle in me when I was thinking about if I want to support this kind of lack of infrastructure which the federation is giving to teams. I’m angry at how things are turning out.” Mentioning players like Chhetri and Gurpreet Singh taking to social media last November sharing players’ plight over the delay, she adds, “It’s disappointing to see the best of your country having to plead.”
There is also speculation that The Blues’ star player and former India team captain Chhetri, now 41, may hang up his shoes after this season. “It would be nice to send him off with the cup,” hopes Kamath, as fans are feeling a mix of acceptance and sadness about the possibility. Haridas says, “The idea is to celebrate him. He’s given his all to us, whether he plays or not, is up to him. All our efforts will be to dream about a statue of him outside the stadium. We will always be there singing, ‘We’ve got Chhetri…I just don’t think you understand.’”