Indian Super League (ISL) side Kerala Blasters will play a few of their home matches at the EMS Stadium in Kozhikode next season.
A meeting chaired by Kozhikode mayor Thottathil Raveendran on Wednesday asked the Blasters management to submit a list of modifications to be carried out at the stadium which is currently the home ground of I-League club Gokulam Kerala FC. Another meeting will be held on June 10.
Blasters planned to make Kozhikode its satellite city after a feud between the Greater Cochin Development Authority (GCDA), which owns the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, the Kochi Corporation and the Kerala Football Association (KFA) on one side, and the team management on the other last season.
Kerala Sports Minister E P Jayarajan had intervened in the matter as reports surfaced saying the Yellow Brigade was planning to shift its home ground owing to hurdles faced from the Kochi city administration. The management of Kerala Blasters, along with Kozhikode North legislator A Pradeep Kumar and Kozhikode mayor had met the minister last year. The minister had assured the Blasters management that the issue would be sorted out and following this Blasters stated that they will not be moving out of Kerala.
The news of Kozhikode getting a chance to host Blasters will gladden the hearts of the football fans in northern Kerala who form a chunk of the Yellow Army.
Blasters, who failed to qualify for the play-off last season, have roped in Mohun Bagan's I-League-winning coach Kibu Vicuna as their new gaffer.
