It all began with a football tour to Bangladesh in 1996 by a group of the best Bangladeshi players in London. There was a realisation that talent was being wasted with the divisions that existed and a solution was required to tackle these divisions. Sporting Bengal United FC was therefore established in 1996 to challenge the under-representation of Asians in football and to offer Bangladeshi and other young Asian people a chance to play football at a higher level.

Having brought together the best local Bangladeshi players, Sporting Bengal went on to win multiple UK Asian Championship titles and dominated the local leagues. It was time to explore the next level.

In only eight years, the team rose from amateur Sunday league football to semi-professional football. Having reached this level, the club broke down many barriers and was one of the first Asian teams to play in the famous FA Cup. Today, the club offers local young people of all backgrounds the opportunity to play semi-professional football.

Having initially competed in the Kent Senior League when securing semi-professional status from 2003, Sporting Bengal moved to the Essex Senior Football League in the 2011-12 season finishing 11th in the league and reaching the FA Vase Third Round Proper in the first season. The club finished runners up in the Essex Senior League Cup in 2013-14.

Ex-Dagenham and Redbridge FC and West Ham United footballer, Anwar Uddin, was the most high-profile manager of the club and managed during the 2015-16 season.

In 2016-17, the club reached the First Round Qualifying stage of the FA Cup for the first time after Imrul Gazi was appointed the manager. The 2018-19 season was the most successful during the Gazi era with the team breaking all the club records including most points, most wins and most goals in a season and finished 8th in the league which is the highest at this level. After a couple Covid hit seasons, the club suffered massively and was relegated in the 2021-22 season.

However, under the management of Steve Clark, Sporting Bengal won promotion back to the Essex Senior League from the Thurlow Nunn League First Division South in 2022-23 at the first attempt after winning a dramatic penalty shootout in the Playoff Final. The win secured the club’s first ever Senior title. The team also matched the club record run of reaching the FA Vase Third Round Proper and was one of the lowest ranked teams left in the competition. Unfortunately, a penalty shootout defeat on this occasion to Deal Town of the Kent Senior League ended the dream. 

In the most recent 2023-24 season, Sporting Bengal Utd did the unthinkable and won the Playoff Final 3-1 against Romford FC to secure promotion to Step 4 football for the first time ever. A remarkable achievement and one that shocked the entire league. 

Sporting Bengal will compete in the Isthmian League in the 2024-25 season.