Beyond the Maidan

How Kolkata Became a Football City

There are many ways to describe Kolkata. It is a city of literature, art, food, politics and culture. But for generations, it has also been a football city.

Football’s roots in Kolkata go back to the late nineteenth century. The All India Football Federation records the establishment of Mohun Bagan in 1889, the victory of Sovabazar Club in the Trades Cup in 1892, and the establishment of the Indian Football Association in Calcutta in 1893. These developments helped establish the city as one of the early centres of organised football in India. (All India Football Federation)

What developed afterwards was more than a collection of football clubs. Football became connected to the identity of the city and its communities.

The Maidan

At the centre of Kolkata’s football culture is the Maidan.

The large open space became closely associated with football and provided an environment where the sport could be played and watched by people from different parts of the city. Over time, the Maidan became home to clubs, training grounds and competitions, helping football become part of everyday life in Kolkata.

The significance of the Maidan is therefore not only about the matches played there. It represents the idea that football in Kolkata belongs to the wider community.

The rise of the major clubs

Kolkata’s football identity was also shaped by its major clubs.

Mohun Bagan was established in 1889 and became a landmark in Indian football history when it won the IFA Shield in 1911, becoming the first Indian team to win the competition. (All India Football Federation)

East Bengal and Mohammedan Sporting later became equally important parts of the city’s football landscape. The rivalry between Mohun Bagan and East Bengal became one of Indian football’s most recognised rivalries, with their first recorded derby taking place in the Calcutta Football League in 1925. (All India Football Federation)

Mohammedan Sporting became another major pillar of Kolkata football, winning five consecutive Calcutta Football League titles between 1934 and 1938. (All India Football Federation)

These clubs helped make Kolkata a football centre not only in Bengal but across India.

But football is bigger than the big clubs

It is easy to understand Kolkata football through its famous names.

Mohun Bagan.
East Bengal.
Mohammedan Sporting.
The Maidan.
The derby.

But that is only one part of the story.

Football also exists away from the major grounds and professional competitions. It is played in neighbourhoods, school grounds and local communities. It is organised by people who may not have professional sporting backgrounds and played by young people whose main motivation is simply to play.

This is where grassroots football becomes important.

The All India Football Federation itself has described grassroots football as an opportunity to get more children playing and exposed to the sport, with grassroots activity able to take place in a wide variety of settings. (All India Football Federation)

That idea is particularly relevant to Kolkata.

The city’s football culture was not created solely by professional players. It was built by people playing, watching, organising and supporting football at many different levels.

Beyond the Maidan

The more I researched Kolkata’s football history, the more I became interested in this less visible side of the game.

I realised that the history of football in Kolkata was not just a history of trophies and famous players. It was also a history of communities.

That raised a question for me:

If football has given so much to Kolkata, what does football give to the people who play it at the grassroots level today?

To understand that, it is necessary to look beyond the city’s biggest clubs.