The beautiful game has always been "the other sport" in India. And although Mumbai, with its strong cosmopolitan population has contributed to football, it has been nothing like cricket. Adib Kenkre, football coach at school and club level for the past twenty years believes that Mumbai's young footballers have massive potential. This is evident in the highly competitive school tournaments played across the city and supported vigorously by the public. Sadly enough, poor infrastructure and apathy of sports authorities have hindered their progress. Kenkre also founded an academy and club, which has nurtured national footballers like Abhishek Yadav and Gorky Pereira.

In the National Football League (now I-League), Mumbai have two of the oldest clubs in the form of Air India (1952) and Mahindra United (1962). Due to the steady increase in I-league viewership and renewed interest in the sport in recent years, another club, Mumbai F.C. was founded in 2007. All the three clubs are currently playing in the top division and the Cooperage Stadium in South Mumbai is their home stadium.