Kochi (Kerala) [India], May 11 : The six teams for the inaugural Kerala Super League (KSL), which will begin later this year in September, were announced at a big event in Kochi on Friday evening.
The teams from Thiruvananthapuram, Ernakulam, Thrissur, Kozhikode, Malappuram, and Kannur will participate on a home-and-away basis, with the winner selected via knockout rounds.
"The league has carefully chosen stadiums and venues for a fair spread of accessibility for football lovers. These venues will meet international standards and promise an unparalleled experience for fans," said Mathew Joseph, CEO of KSL during the event.
The Thiruvananthapuram franchise will play at the JNI Stadium alongside the Kochi franchise, while the Kannur and Kozhikode teams will use the EMS Corporation Stadium. Malappuram and Thrissur will play their home matches in Manjeri.
"We are also checking the possibilities of holding the home matches of the Thiruvananthapuram franchise at the Chandrasekharan Nair Stadium, Thiruvananthapuram. But again, the stadium comes under the administration of the Kerala Police, and we are not sure whether we will get the stadium for our match days. Also, Corporation Stadium in Thrissur is in the scheme of things to hold the matches of the local franchise. But nothing is finalized," said Joseph.
The league is planned to begin in September this year and will continue for 45-60 days. The players for this tournament will be chosen from a KSL draft that will feature both Kerala and non-Kerala footballers, as well as international players.
"KSL will be held during the first part of the ISL and I-League, but we will design the fixture in such a way that the matches will not clash with the games of both Kerala Blasters and Gokulam Kerala FC," said Kerala Football Association (KFA) president Navas Meeran.
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