Bengaluru FC opened the doors of its training centre at CSE Phase 3, Yelahanka, on Saturday morning, welcoming supporters for the ‘BFC Open Training – Up Close with the Blues’ — a special fan engagement event that brought the Blues and their supporters together ahead of the new season.
The event saw a strong turnout of the club faithful, who got a first-hand look at the team as the Blues went through their training session. The morning offered supporters a chance to experience the team away from the matchday environment and get closer to the players. Following the training session, fans took centre stage during an open panel discussion featuring members of the squad and coaching staff. Supporters had the opportunity to ask questions directly, with the interaction offering insights into the team, preparations for the season and life within the Blues’ camp.
A special moment during the morning came when Sunil Chhetri announced the launch of the club’s membership programme for the upcoming season, giving supporters another way to stay connected with the club and be part of the journey ahead. The event also featured plenty of entertainment and friendly competition.
After two years, seeing the fans back on the field with the players today was absolutely amazing, said Darren Caldeira, Bengaluru FC director of football
The event continued with Bengaluru-based rapper Ranajith Dey (Ray) taking to the stage for a special performance, after which forward Ryan Williams hosted a quiz with teams made up of both fans and players, creating a lively battle of football and city knowledge along with plenty of banter between the two sides.
The competitive spirit continued with a fun hula hoop challenge, which saw fans and players go head-to-head to determine which group could complete the challenge first. The activity brought plenty of energy and laughter to the training centre, with both groups determined to claim bragging rights in what was a fun Saturday morning.
Absolutely amazing to see fans back on the field: Caldeira
“After two years, seeing the fans back on the field with the players today was absolutely amazing. On a long weekend like this, people usually make time for their families and themselves, but the number of people who showed up today makes me confident that, as a club, we are moving towards the right direction, as one big family,” reflected Bengaluru FC director of football, Darren Caldeira, on Saturday’s event.
Head Coach Pep Munoz also echoed the sentiment, “It was great to see the BFC family come together today at our training facility for this wonderful event, and I’m really thankful to all our fans who showed up in large numbers to make this day an eventful one. This is the kind of energy that keeps us going every day at training, knowing that we’ve got such amazing fans to back us. We cannot wait to start, and we’re really looking forward to the season ahead.”