Minerva Academy Football Club is the only professional football club in the central Northern belt of the country, based in Chandigarh. Founded in 2005, Minerva Academy FC has entered the national fray in 2015 after being crowned the State Champions- 2015, Chandigarh and being picked by All India Football Federation (AIFF) for the I-League 2nd Division and subsequently for the I-League U-18 and U-15. MAFC is the only club in the history of Chandigarh to ever qualify for the I-league. With an ocean of talented footballers in the region but with no top-level club to provide them the platform to perform, Minerva’s foray into the National scene is seen as a saving grace for the local youths, whose careers suffer pre-mature end or who have to venture out of the state and by far the region, to find a better life in football. VISION & MISSION Minerva Academy Football Club was created with the vision of improving the plight of young footballers of the city and providing them with opportunities, exposure, and a platform to showcase their skills and get recognized on a national and international stage. Minerva Academy Football Club is also dedicated to its mission of developing football at the grassroots level in the region in order to promote local talent. Minerva Academy Cricket Club, Reg. with UT Cricket Association is a twin concern of Minerva Academy Football Club. Founded in 2003 by Mr. Ranjit Bajaj, MACC has achieved many laurels and is a recognizable name in the cricketing world. Minerva Academy Cricket Club won the prestigious J.P. Atray Memorial Cricket Tournament in its debut year of participation in 2005. MACC has produced many Indian & IPL players over the years including Gurkeerat Mann, Yuvraj Singh, Harbhajan Singh, Vikramjeet Malik, Rajat Bhatia, Shikar Dhawan, Praveen Kumar, Manpreet Singh Gony, Rahul Sharma, and many others