Mrs Nita Ambani, founding Chairperson of Football Sports Development Limited (FSDL), feels the City Football Group's (CFG) move to acquire the majority stake in Hero Indian Super League (Hero ISL) club Mumbai City FC and enter the Indian football realm is a testament to the country’s ever-growing pull for global behemoths, especially when it comes to sports.

Mrs Ambani, who announced CFG's official entry in India during a press briefing at Mumbai on Thursday, identified the move as an endorsement of the youthful zest of the country and noted, "It is a great endorsement of the increasing appeal of Indian football and for all football fans in India, this is a moment to take pride in our football, our culture and the opportunity we present to the world in developing the sport. The power and potential of our youth make India the most exciting global opportunity in the world today, in every field, and especially in sport."

Welcoming CFG to India and the Hero ISL family, Mrs Ambani noted, “On behalf of all Indian football stakeholders, I welcome CFG and thank them for their interest and belief in Indian football. I am sure Mumbai City FC and Indian football will benefit greatly from this historic partnership."

“It’s a landmark occasion that celebrates the remarkable rise of Indian football and brings to life our vision for the beautiful game in India," she added.

The move represents a huge positive shift in the Indian footballing landscape. CFG is the world’s leading private owner and operator of football clubs, best known for its ownership of Manchester City FC. Prior to the Mumbai City deal, the group had total or partial ownership of seven clubs in major cities across the world: Manchester City in the UK, New York City FC in the US, Melbourne FC in Australia, Yokohama F. Marinos in Japan, Club Atletico Torque in Uruguay, Girona Futbol Club in Spain and Sichuan Jiuniu FC in China.