Though namdhari xi

Goalkeeper Subhashish Roy Chowdhary: First-timers Namdhari FC will take on former champions Churchill Brothers in a league match of the I-League 2023-24 in this Punjab town on Tuesday.

Though Namdhari XI are first-timers in I-League 2023-24, they have the backing of a family enterprise, just like Churchill Brother, who too are promoted by old money. Thus the two teams share a rivalry, even though they are meeting for the first time.

A person who understands the rivalry —and even more keenly the prestige of a Punjab club in the I-League — is Namdhari FC head coach Harpreet Singh, a former JCT and Mahindra United star.