In 2017, Academica started a partnership with FCSB, loaning a number of youth players from the latter's academy, and achieved a surprising promotion to the Liga I in 2019.

[2] CS Buftea was formed following a merger between a local team from Buftea, which was playing in the fourth division and Cimentul Fieni, first colors of the club were red, white and blue and as a peculiarity, the senior squad of the club was enrolled directly in the third tier (Liga III) and assigned to the third series, on the place occupied by Cimentul, where it was ranked 6th at the end of the season.

The technical bench has been completed with Ion Balaur (head coach), Daniel Iftodi and Vasile Caciureac (assistant managers), Nicolae Ciocănișteanu (goalkeeping coach) and the club near Bucharest ended the autumn season on an honorable seven place, with 23 points, over teams such as Petrolul Ploiești, Sportul Studențesc, Concordia Chiajna, FC Botoșani or FCM Bacău.

Meanwhile, a group of businessmen from Snagov showed interest in taking over the club, but the negotiations were in progress when the squad should have played a Romanian Cup preliminary round against third division side ACS Berceni.

The procedures moved quickly, ACS Buftea changed its name to FC Clinceni, the red, white and blue colors were changed in black and blue, Inter Clinceni was kept in the third tier, but its best players, together with a group from ACS Buftea made the new squad, Valentin Bădoi being named as the head coach.

At a short time after the transaction, in the Romanian press started to appear many articles about the fact that the club was bought by a Chinese company.

In the summer of 2017, local authorities from Clinceni have returned to the club's ownership, former footballer Sorin Paraschiv was named as general manager and Erik Lincar as head coach.

[25][26] During the winter break Lincar left the club, being replaced by Ilie Poenaru and "the black and blues" finished the championship on the 6th place.

2018–19 season was a fantastic one for the club, which under the led of Ilie Poenaru and with a squad composed of young players coming on loan from FCSB, others who grew up at Sportul Studențesc Academy and some of them with first league appearances such as Vasile Olariu, Paul Pîrvulescu or captain Răzvan Patriche, managed to promote in the Liga I, for the first time in its history, surpassing teams such as Universitatea Cluj, Petrolul Ploiești, Argeș Pitești or UTA Arad.

[27] Starting with the 2022–2023 season, Ilfovenii will participate in Seria 2 of the Liga IV - Ilfov County, using the name of former Steaua's goalkeeper, Helmut Duckadam.

Opened in 2011 and with a capacity of 4,500 seats,[28] the stadium, also known as Clinceni Arena, is the main ground of a modern complex that consists of many other football pitches.

In the autumn of 2018 started a renovation process that included, among others, the pitch modernization, capacity expansion to 4,500 seats and the installment of a floodlight system.