I-League debutants Sudeva Delhi FC and Mohammedan SC will lock horns in the opening game of the 2020-21 season which gets underway in Kolkata on January 9.
The upcoming season of I-League will be played at three venues -- the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Stadium, the Kaly Municipal Stadium, and the Kishore Bharati Krirangan.
The opening day of the I-League will feature the clash between Sudeva Delhi FC and Mohammedan SC -- kick-off at 2 pm IST -- while the match will be followed by successive kick-offs at 4 pm IST (RoundGlass Punjab FC vs Aizawl FC) and 7 pm IST (Gokulam Kerala FC vs Chennai City FC).
Both these games will be held at the Kaly Municipal Stadium. The fixtures for the first 10 rounds have been released, with the schedule for the next stage to be released at a later stage.
Due to the prevailing COVID-19 pandemic, the I-League will be played in Kolkata and the neighbouring town of Kaly this season.
All the teams' players and officials, along with the referees and other officials from the local orgsing committee will be operating from within the safety of a bio-secure bubble.
"We are about to experience a new version of the I-League this time as all the teams will be operating from within the bubble. It will indeed be a unique experience for all the players, coaches and officials involved," said CEO Sunando Dhar in an official statement.
"Of course, we would have loved to have had fans in the stands, but due to the current circumstances, that would not be possible. I just want to convey to all the fans that we will all be there for each other in spirit. I wish all the teams the best ahead of the tournament," he added.
( With inputs from ANI )
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