Bendel Insurance F.C.

Bendel Insurance Football Club, also known as Insurance of Benin Football Club or simply Bendel Insurance, is a football club based in Benin City, Nigeria. The club plays in the Nigeria Premier League. They were originally known as the Vipers of Benin. They play their home matches at Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium,[6][7] which has a capacity of 12,000. They are the Current Champions of the Federation Cup after defeating Enugu Rangers 1-0 at the Stephen Keshi Stadium in Asaba on June 21, 2023.

Bendel Insurance FC
Full nameBendel Insurance Football Club
Nickname(s)Vipers, The Benin Arsenal
Founded1972 (1972)
GroundSamuel Ogbemudia Stadium
Benin City, Nigeria
Capacity12,000[1][2]
ChairmanPhilip Shaibu
Deputy Governor,
Edo State[3]
ManagerMonday Odigie[4]
LeagueNigerian Premier Football League[5]
2022-23Group A: 1st
Championship Round: 5th

History

Created by Dr. Samuel Osaigbovo Ogbemudia, Bendel Insurance was one of the founding members of the Nigerian Premier League in 1972.[8]

The team had its first month of the 2007–08 season delayed because of a management dispute over who controlled the team.[9][10] The crisis led to at one time two different clubs claiming the name Insurance. They were relegated at the end of the 2007–08 season after finishing in last place, the first relegation from the top level in the team's history.

In August 2008, the ownership crisis was settled and the Edo State government took control. Thus the name officially reverted to Bendel Insurance Football Club.

However, the financial problems continued throughout the season. In February 2009, Insurance was banned from using their stadium temporarily because it was not up to league standards. In March, they were one of eight teams threatened with having their participation suspended due to a backlog of debts and fines.[11] Finally, they were exiled to Ilorin, North Central Nigeria, for their final home game of the season after crowd trouble in a 1–1 tie against Shooting Stars FC that put an end to their promotion chances. The reason for Bendel Insurance's breakdown was because of the ownership situations.[12]

Bendel Insurance were promoted back to the top flight for the 2019 season after spending over ten years in lower divisions.[8] They were relegated back to the NNL after one season. They won promotion back to the NPFL on the penultimate day of the 2022 season.[13]

Achievements
1973, 1979
2022
1972, 1978, 1980, 2023
1994
1993, 1994, 1995

Performance in CAF competitions
1974: Second Round
1980: Semi-Finals
2005 – Second Round
1994 – Champion
1979 – Semi-Finals
1982 – Second Round

Current team

As of April 2023



Notable players

References
  1. "Buhari Hails Obaseki's Investments in Sports, Revamp of Ogbemudia Stadium". ThisDay. Retrieved 8 April 2021.
  2. "Obaseki parades new features of Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, assures more investment in sports". The Nigerian Observer. Retrieved 10 April 2021.
  3. "Edo State To Rebrand Bendel Insurance Football Club • Channels Television".
  4. https://newtelegraphonline.com/2017/12/edo-unveils-new-technical-crew-insurance/
  5. "Bendel Insurance, three other teams promoted to Nigeria pro football league – Premium Times Nigeria". 9 January 2019.
  6. "Nigeria's Edo State to pay women and men teams equally". 19 November 2019 – via www.bbc.co.uk.
  7. "Stadiums in Nigeria". World Stadiums. Retrieved 15 July 2007.
  8. Odegbami, Olusegun (18 January 2019). "The Return of 'Bede' Insurance!". Vanguard Nigeria.
  9. "Insurance FC crisis started since 1995". NIGERIAN TRIBUNE. Archived from the original on 27 May 2008. Retrieved 4 January 2008.
  10. "Osunbor summons Ebewele, Ekhosuehi – Insurance crisis latest". NIGERIAN TRIBUNE. Retrieved 4 January 2008.
  11. "Compass News – Awaken To A Different World". Compass News – Awaken To A Different World. Archived from the original on 17 June 2009. Retrieved 7 March 2009.
  12. "Bendel Insurance F.C." Nigeria Professional Football League. Retrieved 7 February 2020.
  13. NNL: Bendel Insurance, Doma United FC Gain Promotion to NPFL

Bendel Insurance FC Results - current results of Bendel Insurance FC matches

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