March 24, 2026
There are seasons in football that feel bigger than points, tables, and fixtures. There are campaigns that carry history, hope, and the weight of an entire city on their shoulders.
For MYJ-GMSC, the 2025-26 I-League 2 campaign is exactly that.
On Friday, 27 March 2026, we will kick off our debut I-League 2 campaign at Cooperage Stadium against Sporting Club Bengaluru, marking a defining moment not just in our young journey as a club, but in the story of Mumbai football itself. This season, we stand as the only club from Maharashtra in I-League 2 — and significantly, the only club from Mumbai competing in the competition.
For a city with such a deep and passionate footballing culture, that means something. For a state with a rich sporting identity, it means even more. And for everyone connected to MYJ-GMSC, it means one thing above all else: This is our chance to bring national-league footballing pride back to Mumbai.
A City with Football in Its Veins
Mumbai has always been one of Indian football’s most important cities — a place where football has lived in maidans, schools, institutions, local rivalries, and packed stands at Cooperage. And yet, in recent years, representation from Mumbai in the national league pyramid has become rare. There was a time when clubs from Mumbai proudly carried the city’s name across Indian football.
Mahindra United were one of Mumbai’s most successful football clubs, winning the National Football League title in 2005-06, becoming national champions, while also lifting the Federation Cup twice (2003 and 2005).
Air India, one of Mumbai’s historic institutional clubs, competed in the National Football League / I-League system across multiple spells, including a successful promotion-winning campaign in the 1999-2000 National Football League Second Division.
Mumbai FC became one of the city’s most recognisable modern football clubs. Founded in 2007, they won the 2008 I-League 2nd Division, secured promotion, and then spent nine consecutive seasons in the top flight from 2008-09 until 2016-17 — a remarkable run for a club that came to represent Mumbai with grit and consistency.
Those clubs built memories. They gave Mumbai a seat at the national table. And now, in a new era, we are ready to carry that torch forward.
A Journey Built in Just Over 2 Years
What makes this moment even more remarkable is how quickly we have risen. In just two and a half years since our inception, we have climbed the ladder of Indian football with purpose, ambition, and relentless hard work — from local competition to now standing on the doorstep of the I-League. For a young club, that kind of rise is not accidental. It is the result of vision, sacrifice, belief, and an unwavering commitment to building something meaningful for the city.
For our club owner Mr. Joe Miranda, this campaign is deeply personal.“Football is my passion and it’s my passion that’s driven me to invest time, effort and money into this club. And it’s been fruitful this far with the progress — especially with the fact that we’ve climbed this high up the ladder of Indian Football in the span of 2.5 years since our inception. And we’re aiming to bring back the glory days of a national league in Mumbai.”
Those words capture the heart of our project. We are not simply participating in I-League 2. We are stepping into this competition with the belief that Mumbai deserves to dream bigger again.
Our Head Coach Vijith Shetty made it clear that our mindset is focused, driven, and uncompromising.“Everyone at the club has worked hard to get to where we are today. And we have to keep pushing each other to go even further. The team has prepared well and the new signings since the beginning of the season have brought in experience and drive. Our aim is to qualify for the I-League — it’s that simple.”
There is no hiding from the objective. This is a squad that knows what is at stake, understands the level, and is ready to compete with intent.
For our leading goalscorer Himanshu Patil, the foundation of our campaign lies in something beyond tactics and talent - unity.“The unity of this team is what I feel is our biggest strength. We fight for each other and lift each other up to be better than we can be and play better than we can play. We’re all in this together and we’ll leave everything on the pitch in every game.”
That spirit has been central to our rise so far. We are a club built not just on results, but on togetherness. And in a competition as demanding as I-League 2, that could make all the difference.
Cooperage Awaits — Mumbai, Show Up There is something fitting about beginning this journey at Cooperage Stadium. A venue steeped in footballing memory. A ground that has witnessed generations of Mumbai footballers, clubs, and supporters.
Now, it becomes the stage for a new chapter.
Our home matches will be LIVE streamed on YouTube, ensuring fans across the city, the state, and beyond can follow every step of our campaign. But football is always louder, prouder, and more powerful in the stands.
So to every supporter of Mumbai football — come to Cooperage. Come for the badge. Come for the city. Come for the belief that Mumbai belongs on the national stage.
This is more than a debut campaign.
This is a statement. This is a responsibility. This is MYJ-GMSC, carrying Mumbai and Maharashtra forward.
MYJ-GMSC – I-League 2 2025-26 Fixtures
● 27 March 2026 – vs Sporting Club Bengaluru (Home)
● 3 April 2026 – vs United Sports Club (Home)
● 9 April 2026 – vs NEROCA FC (Home)
● 15 April 2026 – vs Karbi Anglong Morning Star FC (Away)
● 21 April 2026 – vs Sudeva Delhi FC (Away)
● 26 April 2026 – vs Delhi Football Club (Away)
● 2 May 2026 – vs Sporting Clube de Goa (Away)
● 14 May 2026 – vs FC Bengaluru United (Home)
