Minerva Academy FC
Minerva Academy Football Club (often referred to as Minerva Punjab) is an Indian professional multi-sports club based in Chandigarh, Punjab, best known for its football, cricket and futsal teams. Club's football section predominantly competed in Punjab State Super League.
| Full name | Minerva Academy Football and Cricket Club | |||
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| Founded | 2005 (as Minerva Academy) | |||
| Ground | Minerva Academy Ground | |||
| Owner | Ranjit Bajaj | |||
| Head coach | Tushar Soodan | |||
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| Website | Club website | |||
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Minerva previously participated in the I-League, then highest division of Indian football league system. The club reached AFC Cup Group stage, in 2019 edition of the continental second tier. After selling Punjab FC to Roundglass Sports, owner Ranjit Bajaj bought stakes in Delhi FC. However, Minerva Academy remained active since its inception. After being promoted into the I-League in 2016, the academy based club was rebranded as Minerva Punjab FC, and in 2019 football section was relabeled as Punjab FC. The club has won I-League title once, in 2017–18. Widely known as "the factory" of Indian football, Minerva is one of the most successful sports academies in the country.