Maharashtra Oranje Football Club (formerly known as The Oranje Football Club) is an Indian professional

football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kick (football), kicking a football (ball), ball to score a goal (sports), goal. Unqualified, football (word), the word ''football'' generally means the form of football t ...

club based in

Powai Powai (Pronunciation: əʋəiː is a residential suburb located in central Mumbai, Maharashtra, India. It is situated on the banks of Powai Lake, and is bound by the hills of Vikhroli Parksite to the south-east, Chandivali to the south-west ...

Mumbai Mumbai ( ; ), also known as Bombay ( ; its official name until 1995), is the capital city of the Indian state of Maharashtra. Mumbai is the financial capital and the most populous city proper of India with an estimated population of 12 ...

Maharashtra Maharashtra () is a state in the western peninsular region of India occupying a substantial portion of the Deccan Plateau. It is bordered by the Arabian Sea to the west, the Indian states of Karnataka and Goa to the south, Telangana to th ...

. It currently competes in the

Mumbai Premier League Mumbai Premier League, formerly known as the ''MFA Elite Division or MDFA Elite Division'', is the first tier of the Mumbai Football League competition. In March 2022, the Mumbai Premier League was rechristened as the ''Harwood Premier League' ...

(the top division of the

Mumbai Football League The Mumbai Football League, also known as the Harwood League, is organised by Mumbai Football Association (MFA), as a ladder-based competition involving a total of five divisions and over 300 teams. It is the top football league in Mumbai and ...

History

Based in Powai, Mumbai, the ''Oranje Football Academy'' derived its name from the

Dutch Dutch or Nederlands commonly refers to: * Something of, from, or related to the Netherlands ** Dutch people as an ethnic group () ** Dutch nationality law, history and regulations of Dutch citizenship () ** Dutch language () * In specific terms, i ...

philosophy of total football. Satyajeet Saaini, a

mechanical engineer Mechanical may refer to: Machine * Machine (mechanical), a system of mechanisms that shape the actuator input to achieve a specific application of output forces and movement * Mechanical calculator, a device used to perform the basic operations o ...

by qualification and a self-taught footballer, founded the Oranje Football Academy in January 2016 with more than 200 students. They have established coaching centers in Powai Vihar,

Hiranandani Hiranandani Gardens (popularly known simply as Hiranandani) is an upmarket township consisting of condominiums, penthouses, bungalows, and commercial complexes in the Powai neighbourhood of Mumbai. It was constructed by the Hiranandani Group a ...

, and

Bhandup Bhandup (Pronunciation: ʱaːɳɖup () is a suburban locality in Mumbai, in the state of Maharashtra, India. The name ''Bhandup'' is derived from ''Bhandupeshwar'', one of the names of the Hindu god Shiva. An old temple dedicated to Lord Shiv ...

. In 2017, the Oranje Football Academy assembled a first-team named The Oranje FC. In 2018, they competed in the MFA 3rd Division for the first time. From 2019 onwards, they competed in three MFA Divisions (3rd, 2nd, and 1st) and multiple age groups. In 2022, they competed for the first time as The Oranje FC (ICL Payyade SC) in the

2021–22 MFA Elite Division The 2021–22 MFA Elite Division was the 109th season of the MFA Elite Division, the top-tier association football, football league in Mumbai, a city in the Indian state of Maharashtra. The 2020–21 season was called off due to the COVID-19 pan ...

the premier division of the Mumbai Football League. In the 2022–23 MFA Elite Division season, they finish 4th for the second season running. In September 2023, The Oranje FC took over Atlanta FC, which was one-half of Ambernath United Atlanta who qualified for

2023–24 I-League 2 2023–24 I-League 2 was the 16th season of the I-League 2 since its establishment in 2008. It was also the 2nd season as the third tier of the Indian football league system. The top two clubs on the league table will secure a place in the 202 ...

in the previous season. As a result, Maharashtra Oranje FC competed in the

season in place of Ambernath United Atlanta. However, they were relegated to

2024–25 I-League 3 The 2024–25 I-League 3 was the 2nd season of the I-League 3 since its establishment in 2023, as the fourth tier of the Indian football league system. The top four clubs secured spot in the 2024–25 I-League 2. The winner of the tournament was ...

after accumulating just 15 points from 14 games. They were further relegated from

2024–25 Mumbai Premier League The 2024–25 Mumbai Premier League is the 112th season of the top-tier football league run by the Mumbai Football Association in Mumbai, representing the fifth tier of the Indian football league system. India On Track FC are the current rei ...

after failing to win any of their games.

References

External links

The Oranje Football Academy
on

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{{Maharashtra Sports Association football clubs established in 2017 Football clubs in Mumbai 2017 establishments in Maharashtra I-League 2 clubs