ARA FC
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Full name | Ahmedabad Racquet Academy Football Club[1] | ||
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Nickname(s) | The Alphas Ahmedabad Alphas[2] | ||
Short name | ARA[3][4] | ||
Founded | 2016 | ||
Ground | EKA Arena | ||
Capacity | 20,000 | ||
Owner | Vikram Patel[5] | ||
Head coach | Vivek Nagul[6] | ||
League | GFA Senior Division League I-League 2nd Division | ||
Website | Club website | ||
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Active departments of ARA FC | ||
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Football (Men's) | Football (Women's) |
Ahmedabad Racquet Academy Football Club (commonly known as ARA FC Gujarat) is an Indian professional football club based in Ahmedabad, Gujarat.[7][8] They have competed in the I-League 2nd Division.[9][10][11] Thus ARA FC became the first professional team from Gujarat to compete in the nationwide league.[12][13] The club also competes in GFA Senior Division League.
Their second and youth teams play in both Hero Sub-Junior League and Hero Elite League.[14]
History[]
Academy and early years[]
Ahmedabad Racquet Academy (ARA) started its journey as a professional multi-sports academy in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, which mainly consists of racquet sports and has been running since 2011 and began participating in Ahmedabad Junior league.[15][16] The football club was among the newest projects established by the academy in recent times as an initiative by owner Vikram Patel.[5][17]
Formation of club[]
The existing academy owned by Patel emerged as ARA FC in 2016 to ensure development of football in the Indian state of Gujarat.[17] On 19 July 2018, their academy were accredited and given two stars based on eligibility criteria, which allowed them to play in Youth League U18.[18] ARA as a club became affiliated with Gujarat State Football Association (GSFA) in 2017,[19] and began competing in the ADFA Premier Division League.[20][21]
2018–present[]
On 20 November 2018, AIFF nominated ARA for proposed inclusion in the 2018–19 2nd Division League.[22][23] On 7 December, it was announced that ARA FC would be one of nine clubs to play that season.[24] Thus the Ahmedabad-based club became the only team from the state competing in a domestic tier league.[25]
In their maiden I-League 2nd Division in the 2018–19 season,[26] ARA finished on fourth place in Group A with 11 points in 8 matches as Lonestar Kashmir progressed to the final round.[27][28]
They were nominated for participating in the 2021 I-League Qualifiers, since emerging victorious in Gandhinagar Premier League.[29] They began their journey with a 1–1 draw against Corbett FC on 5 October at the Bangalore Football Stadium[30] but did not advanced to the final round.[31]
Home stadium[]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/63/EKA_Arena_Stadium%28TransStadia%29.jpg/220px-EKA_Arena_Stadium%28TransStadia%29.jpg)
ARA FC plays its home matches at the EKA Arena, which has a capacity of 20,000 spectators.[32] The stadium is located in Kankaria Lake, Ahmedabad, and has additional 10,000 temporary seats on the pitch area.[33]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/99/Aka_arena_.jpg/350px-Aka_arena_.jpg)
Kit manufacturers and shirt sponsors[]
Period | Kit manufacturer | Shirt sponsor |
---|---|---|
2018–2021 | SEVEN[34] | Amul[35] |
2021–present | Decathlon Sports |
Current squad[]
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Current technical staff[]
- As of 12 November 2019
Position | Name |
---|---|
Team manager | ![]() |
Head coach | ![]() |
Assistant coach | ![]() |
Physio | ![]() |
Honours[]
League[]
- ADFA Ahmedabad District League 2nd Division
- Champions (1): 2017[36]
- ADFA Ahmedabad District League 1st Division
- Champions (1): 2018[36]
- Gandhinagar Premier League
- Champions (1): 2020–21
Cup[]
- Heritage Cup Jaipur
- Champions (1): 2020
Women's team[]
- Gujrat Women's League
- Champions (1): 2021
Records[]
Season | Div. | Tms. | Pos. | Attendance/G | Federation Cup/Super Cup | AFC Champions League | AFC Cup |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2018–19 | IL2 | 16 | G4th | 650 | DNP | DNP | DNP |
2019–20 | IL2 | 18 | Final round 4th | – | DNP | DNP | DNP |
- Key
- Tms. = Number of teams
- Pos. = Position in league
- Attendance/G = Average league attendance
Managerial record[]
updated on 25 October 2020
Name | Nationality | From | To | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | Win% |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Vivek Nagul[37] | ![]() |
2018 | 2021 | 19 | 7 | 4 | 8 | 28 | 29 | 36.84 |
Manuel Retamero Fraile | ![]() |
2021 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
Notable former players[]
For current and former notable ARA FC players with a Wikipedia article, see: ARA FC players.
See also[]
References[]
- ^ "AHMEDABAD RACQUET ACADEMY FC". Soccerway. Retrieved 22 February 2021.
- ^ "ARA FC coach Nagul and captain Shoaib optimistic ahead of I-League qualifiers". The Times of India. Retrieved 12 May 2021.
- ^ "Match report: ARA vs Hindustan". i-league.org. Archived from the original on 5 December 2021. Retrieved 16 January 2019.
- ^ "ARA 5–0 Mumbai City Reserves". All India Football Federation. Retrieved 11 December 2021.
- ^ a b "ARA FC in I-league could be a gamechanger in state". ahmedabadmirror.indiatimes.com. Retrieved 10 December 2018.
- ^ "HEARTBROKEN BUT UPBEAT: ARA FC HEAD COACH VIVEK NAGUL". Ahmadabad Mirror. Retrieved 22 February 2021.
- ^ "ARA FC official page". Facebook. Retrieved 8 October 2021.
- ^ Mohammedan Sporting to take on ARA in the I-League qualifiers indiatvnews.com. Retrieved 12 May 2021
- ^ 2nd Division League: Matchday 13 (30/03-06/04) The Away End. Retrieved 30 October 2021.
- ^ "I-League Qualifiers: ARA FC 0-2 Bhawanipore FC – Goals & Highlights!". Arunfoot.com. Retrieved 12 May 2021.
- ^ Eighteen teams, including 7 reserve sides of ISL clubs to contest in revamped 2017-18 Second Division league First Post. Retrieved 28 July 2021
- ^ "Football: How ARA FC became Gujarat's first second division I-League club". Scroll.in. Retrieved 22 February 2021.
- ^ "2nd Division League: Matchday 13 [30/03-06/04]". theawayend.co. The Away End. Archived from the original on 23 April 2019. Retrieved 30 October 2021.
- ^ "Summary – U18 League – India – Results, fixtures, tables and news". Soccerway. Retrieved 8 December 2018.
- ^ ARA FC scripts stunning wins The Ahmedabad Mirror. Retrieved 8 October 2021.
- ^ "Ahmedabad Baby League: Flory FC Wins 5-3 Against ARA FC". Ahmedabad Mirror. Retrieved 8 October 2021.
- ^ a b "Football: How ARA FC became Gujarat's first second division I-League club". Scroll.in. Retrieved 29 July 2021.
- ^ "AIFF Academy accreditation for India results for 2018/19 season announced!". arunfoot.com. Retrieved 8 December 2018.
- ^ "Dhanraj Nathwani unanimously elected president of GSFA". 7 August 2017.
- ^ ADFA 1st Division League: AFC On The Move Ahmedabad Mirror. Retrieved 4 October 2021
- ^ Ahmedabad District Senior Football League Gets Underway The Times of India. Retrieved 4 October 2021
- ^ Scroll Staff. "Football: State associations nominate 23 teams for second division of I-League". scroll.in. Retrieved 8 December 2018.
- ^ "ARA vs Hindustan". i-league.org. Retrieved 16 January 2019.
- ^ "Tentative decisions for 2nd Division League, Hero Super Cup announced". The Bridge. Retrieved 8 December 2018.
- ^ "I-League 2nd Division 2018-19, prilimenary round summary". Soccerway.com. Archived from the original on 12 September 2020. Retrieved 25 March 2021.
- ^ "Hero 2nd Division League set to kick-off on January 12". i league. 9 January 2019. Retrieved 6 April 2019.
- ^ "ARA FC of to a flier". Ahmedabad Mirror. Retrieved 29 July 2021.
- ^ I-League 2nd Division 2018-19 detailed statistics soccerway.com. Retrieved 29 July 2021
- ^ ARA FC became champions of Gandhinagar Premier League facebook.com. Retrieved 29 July 2021
- ^ I-League Qualifiers 2021: ARA FC Strike Late to Hold Corbett FC to 1-1 Draw News18. Retrieved 8 October 2021.
- ^ Hero I-League Qualifires 2021 the-aiff.com. Retrieved 15 October 2021.
- ^ "ARA FC off to a flier". ahamedabadmirror.Indiatimes.com. Retrieved 16 January 2019.
- ^ "TransStadia Pitch". transstadia.com. Retrieved 20 March 2020.
- ^ "ARA FC coach Nagul and captain Shoaib optimistic ahead of I-League qualifiers". The Times of India. 3 October 2020. Retrieved 8 October 2021.
- ^ "Aiming to make Gujarat proud, ARA FC prepare for I-League Qualifiers challenge". devdiscourse.com. Retrieved 8 October 2021.
- ^ a b "Football: State associations nominate 23 teams for second division of I-League". Scroll.in. Retrieved 8 October 2021.
- ^ "HEARTBROKEN BUT UPBEAT: ARA FC HEAD COACH VIVEK NAGUL". Ahmadabad Mirror. Retrieved 26 March 2021.
External links[]
- ARA Football Club at the-aiff.com
- Team info at spotik.in
- Team info at Global Sports Archive
- ARA FC archives at ANI News
- ARA FC
- Football clubs in Gujarat
- I-League 2nd Division clubs
- Sports clubs established in 2016
- 2016 establishments in Gujarat
- Sport in Ahmedabad