A new club from Kerala, to be based in Kozhikode, will take part in the upcoming I-League season, the All India Football Federation announced on Wednesday.
The AIFF’s Bid Evaluation Committee, which met here today, decided to award Sree Gokulam Group the right to field their team in I-League season 2017-18 onwards.
“AIFF Bid Evaluation Committee met at the AIFF HQ in New Delhi today (September 20, 2017) to evaluate the bids submitted after the tendering process was initiated on August 18, 2017,” the AIFF said in a statement.
“From the bids submitted, the Bid Evaluation Committee decided to award Sree Gokulam Group the right to field their team in Hero I-League season 2017-18 onward,” it added.
The team will be playing their home matches out of Kozhikode, Kerala.
Hopeful of a new market
“It gives me great pleasure to welcome a new Kerala team from Sree Gokulam Group to the Hero I-League from the 2017-18 season,” AIFF General Secretary Kushal Das said.
“I hope the club would be able to ignite the passion of Kerala football in Calicut where they will be playing from.”
I-League CEO Sunando Dhar said, “We would like to congratulate Sree Gokulam Group on winning the bid. It has been our endeavour to have corporate teams come into the Hero I-League and the team from Kerala will open a new market for the league.
“It will be beneficial to both the Hero I-League as well as Indian football. And I’m sure the passionate football fans of Kerala will be delighted to have a team of their own.” Dhar added.