The Kochi-based side has reached three finals in the last nine years, and but has not managed to clinch the title.
Manjappada, the fans of Kerala blasters at an ISL match in Kochi. (Supplied)
After two years of the pandemic, the Indian Super League — India’s top-tier football league — is kicking off on Friday, 7 October.
In the season opener, the Kerala Blasters Football Club will play against East Bengal on the KBFC’s home turf at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Kaloor in Kochi. The match is scheduled to be held at 7.30 pm.
Kerala Blasters, who are the favourites among the two, have retained their core set of players from the team last season. Last season, the club reached the ISL final and lost on penalties to Hyderabad FC.
After the FIFA ban on the All India Football Association (AIFF), new leadership is in charge of the football governing body.
The league commences at a time when there is a significant demand from the football fans in the country to have a promotion and relegation system to be incorporated from the next season.
The federation is yet to decide on promotions and relegations from the country’s second-tier I-League.
The season will feature 11 teams: Kerala Blasters FC, ATK Mohun Bagan, North East United FC, Hyderabad FC, Jamshedpur FC, Chennaiyin FC, FC Goa, Bengaluru FC, Mumbai City FC, Odisha FC, and East Bengal FC.
Each team will play 20 league matches: 10 at home and 10 way.
In the last season, Hyderabad FC were crowned champions, beating Kerala Blasters FC in the final on penalties.
Every club is allowed to register players aged 25-35 in their squad. This should include six overseas players, including one player from a country affiliated with the AFC.
The full fixture of all the matches in the league can be accessed here.
“We’ll give our everything for the title,” said Kerala Blasters gaffer Ivan Vukomanovic in an interview with the ISL organisers.
He said it was a great feeling to be at the stadium and play in front of the home crowd.
He also said he was happy with the team’s preparation and the preseason, and shared his excitement for the upcoming matches.
“The wait is over! We kick-off our 2022/23 Hero ISL- Indian Super League campaign against East Bengal FC at home today [sic],” stated a Facebook post from the official handle of the club ahead of the match.
The Kochi-based side has reached three finals in the last nine years, and but has not managed to clinch the title.
The tickets for the opening matches are already sold out, and the Manjappada — the yellow army, the largest fan group of the club — has been preparing with chants and Tifo during the home match to support the team.
Meanwhile, East Bengal coach Stephen Constantine, who has previously managed the Indian national team, said he had not come to Kochi to lose. His comments were made in an interview with the league organisers.
“We are not the finished article, but haven’t come to lose the game on Friday, and I haven’t come to East Bengal FC to finish in the last place. So, I will do everything I can to make it work,” stated Constantine.
Traffic regulations in Kochi
KBFC’s home ground in Kochi, the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, sees the highest average attendance each season in the league.
The home matches of Kerala Blasters regularly attract audiences of over 40,000 per game.
As people from across the state come to Kochi to watch the KBFC home matches, the city’s traffic police have imposed traffic regulations in the city on Friday.
The match is expected to have considerable away fans of East Bengal FC as well to be present in the stadium.
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