Kochi’s Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium was chosen as the venue of the final of the Indian Super League’s third edition on Friday after a meeting between the top officials of the tournament. Kochi will be the third separate venue to host the summit event in the ISL after Navi Mumbai’s DY Patil Stadium in 2014 and Goa’s Fatorda Stadium in 2015.
Kochi has seen packed crowds all through the tournament, even when their side Kerala Blasters went through a lean patch early in the campaign. The Times of India reported that the renovation work underway in the other stadiums keeping the FIFA U-17 World Cup 2017 in mind also paved the way for Kochi getting the nod, “The crowd turnout at Kochi is amazing. They are one of the most energetic fans in the country and it is one of the reasons that ISL decided to host the final at Kochi,” quoted a source in the TOI report.
The final group game of the tournament will see the Blasters face off against NorthEast United at home, with Steve Coppell’s side needing just a draw to progress to the final four.