Sport London e Benfica Official Page | Página Oficial do Sport London e Benfica |
Founded in 1981, we are the original SLB Club that was affiliated to Sport Lisboa e Benfica, #22. Sport London e Benfica was founded on the 15th of May 1981, when it was affiliated (No.22) to Sport Lisboa e Benfica, the most widely supported football club in the world, as acknowledged by the Guinness Book of Records
in November 2006. The club is no longer affiliated with Portugal but Sport London e Benfica would like to reconnect those links in the future. Sport London e Benfica is presently recruiting volunteers to join in the building of this sleeping giant of a club, to fulfill its aims and objectives to grow as a club and develop all its members,
In the 2005/06 season Sport London e Benfica (SLB) changed their Senior Side from Sunday to Saturday League, joining the Cherry Red Books Middlesex County Football League, under the management of José Viana. As part of the National League System, SLB had taken a step in the right direction towards their ambition of reaching the dizzy and distant heights of professional football. In their first year of National League System football, Sport London e Benfica became CHAMPIONS of Division 1. The team progressed into the Premier Division where they were to be crowned CHAMPIONS once again, for the second season running!
2007/2008 saw Sport London e Benfica playing semi-pro football, having now been promoted to The Moltens Spartans South Midland Football League, Division 1.
2008/2009 saw the senior team compete for the first time in the FA Vase beating higher level opposition North Greenford United FC and Eton Manor FC. Another great building block and achievement established in the history of the club, that will help its development for the future. The importance of this achievement cannot be under-estimated as the success of the senior side gave something for the youth team players to aspire to. Unfortunately, due to the ground-share agreement being terminated to welcome a higher bidder, plus a change in directorship of the club, this signaled the end of the senior men's team, despite all the hard work, and the club would concentrate on its youth system. The teams were entered into the Camden & Regents Park Football League and in their first test season had decent successes. One such success was the winning of a QPR tournament held in Wormwood Scrubs!
2012/13 the club had 7 youth teams. Partnerships have been made with local organisations to help with the overall progress of the youth section. The club has built on this history by adding more teams, playing in stadium tournaments e.g. Stamford Bridge and The Emirates, going abroad to Holland and Portugal and winning countless tournaments, leagues and County Cups in the SE of England.
2012, José Viana starts the Futsal era, entering coaches, ex-youth players and ex-semi-pro players in a makeshift squad, entering the Middlesex FA Futsal Fives. Unbeaten in its debut season, Sport London e Benfica Futsal ended up worthy winners! The team set up more established opposition in the form of Liverpool Futsal and Birmingham in a round robin in Birmingham. Benfica won that too with a draw against Liverpool 8-8 and a win 4-3 against Birmingham. Sport London e Benfica Futsal won its second Middlesex FA Futsal Fives Title at the end of 2012. Such was the success of the team that it was invited by The FA to play the exhibition game before the England Futsal International v Turkey in the Olympic Handball Stadium, Sporthouse. This venue was to be the team's home ground as they played in the The FA National Futsal League and in their first season finished runners-up! Unfortunately, the FA viewed Sport London e Benfica's success and its 30 year old name, an issue and demanded the club to change its name. The directors refused and subsequently left the league.
2018 saw Sport London e Benfica Ladies being formed. Losing one game in all of the 2019/2020 season, the 2 year old team was only prevented from winning something by Covid-19 and the decision by the FA and County FAs to expunge the season and halt the cups where Sport London e Benfica ladies remained; in the Quarter-Final of the GLWFL League Cup, the semi-final of the Sue Sharples Cup and the semi-final of the Capital Women's Cup. We were also well poised in the league with games in hand. Despite this, and the fear the same was going to happen again, the team made amends and won the double, the following season, winning the GLWFL Division 1 and the Capital Women's Cup. The team was able to apply promotion to Step 6 where it currently resides in the London & SE Regional WFL and participating in the Women's FA Cup. SLB's philosophy stays the same and the ambition gets even greater. So much achieved, in such a short space of time and despite the challenges that we faced, still looking for our own home ground. How far can Sport London e Benfica go? With your support, only time will tell! Please take some to think how you can support our initiative. All support is welcome, no matter how big or small. Força!
