B.G. Sports Club (commonly known as BG Sports, or simply as BG) is a multi-sports organization based in Maafannu, Malé, Maldives. It is best known for its football team which currently competes in the Maldivian Second Division Football Tournament.
Founded in 1996, BG Sports is also regarded as the most successful Baibalaa clubs in the country.
History
Formation and early years (1996–2010)
BG Sports Club was established in 1996 by a group of neighbours in Maafannu, originally to participate in the traditional Maldivian sport Baibalaa. Later that year itself the club board quickly decided to expanded into other sports, including football, basketball, athletics, swimming, netball, cricket and more.
Rise to national football prominence (2011–2013) BG Sports entered competitive football and rose through the lower divisions. In 2011, the club finished runner-up in the Third Division, losing the final to Club Zefrol on penalties, but still gained promotion to the Second Division.
The following year, BG Sports became 2012 Second Division champions, defeating United Victory 8–0 in the final — their biggest recorded win — and earned promotion to the First Division for the first time in their history.
In the 2013 Dhivehi League, BG Sports signed several high-profile players and finished third, qualifying for the President’s Cup for the first time. They were eliminated in the semi-final after a narrow 2–1 loss to Maziya.
Top-flight struggles and survival (2014–2016) During the 2014 Dhivehi League, BG Sports managed only one win from 14 matches, finishing at the bottom. However, avoiding relegation by winning all three matches in the play-offs.
In 2015, when the Maldives top division was rebranded as the Dhivehi Premier League, BG Sports became one of the eight founding clubs. They finished 7th, entering another relegation play-off. BG defeated Club Green Streets 4–1 in the first leg, and after Green Streets failed to appear for the second leg, BG retained their top-flight status.
The following season, BG Sports finished bottom of the Premier League, with just 3 wins from 21 matches, resulting in relegation to the Second Division.
Recent years (2017–present) Between 2017 and 2020, BG Sports endured difficult campaigns in the Second Division, failing to win a single group-stage match across three seasons. In 2022, they recorded their first competitive win after five years but did not progress beyond the group stage. During the 2023–24 Second Division, BG Sports advanced to the quarter-finals before being eliminated 5–0 by eventual champions Masodi Sports Club.
Season-by-season records Season League FA Cup President's Cup Top goalscorer Head coach Div. Pos. Pl. W D L GS GA Name Goals2011Div 3 (3) 2ndDNE2012Div 2 (2) 1stDNE2013DL (1)3rd197391923QFSF2014DL (1)8th1413101339QFn/a Atapa Kazeem Adeolu6 Mohamed Iqbal2015DPL (1)7th143471826cancelledGrp David Carmona7 Mohamed Shazly2016DPL (1) 8th2138101530QFn/a Kingsley Elechi8 Mohamed Shazly2017Div 2 (2)8th302102DNE––2018Div 2 (2)8th3003111cancelled Ahmed Waheed12020Div 2 (2)8th301226cancelled Hussain Suhail Ibrahim Jaah Ziyad1 Muaviyath Ilham2022Div 2 (2)10th621638DNE2023–24Div 2 (2)7th52031112cancelled Muzdhan Hassan4 Ahmed Nashid
Key to league record: Pld = Matches played W = Matches won D = Matches drawn L = Matches lost GF = Goals for GA = Goals against Pos = Final position
Key to divisions: DPL = Dhivehi Premier League DL = Dhivehi League Div 2 = Third Division Div 3 = Third Division n/a = Not applicable
Key to rounds: DNE = Did not enter Grp = Group stage QF = Quarter-finals SF = Semi-finals RU = Runners-up W = Winners
WinnersRunners-upThird placePromotedRelegated Division shown in bold to indicate a change in division.
Honours
Domestic Second Division Football Tournament Winners (1) 2012 Third Division Football Tournament Runners-up (1) 2011
References