In view of the festival of Thiruvonam that falls on September 15 (Sunday), Kerala Blasters have reduced the stadium capacity to 50% for their opening game of the Indian Super League season at the Jawaharlal Nehru International (JNI) Stadium at Kaloor in Kochi.
The Blasters will host Punjab FC at 7.30 pm on Sunday.
The club released a statement on Friday announcing its decision, which it said was taken to support the essential services and operations partners who will otherwise miss out on the festivities. Thiruvonam marks the culmination of ten days of Onam festivities.
"While we would have loved to welcome a full stadium, given the high demand for the season opener, we also recognize the critical role played by essential services and operations partners. Their work begins well before the game, often starting the night before, and continues late into the night after the match. By reducing the stadium capacity, we aim to ease the load on these dedicated individuals, allowing them to enjoy at least some part of this special festival with their families," Kerala Blasters said in a statement.
"We are committed to making decisions that best serve our community. Balancing the excitement of the opening match with the importance of Onam is a priority for us. We appreciate the understanding and continued support of our fans, and we look forward to an exciting season ahead," the Blasters said in the statement.
The JNI that can accommodate more than 60,000 fans has been operating at a reduced capacity of 35,000 fans in recent seasons to adhere to FIFA's security standards. Though the club has yet to confirm the total number of tickets available for the season opener, it is understood that the capacity could be under 20,000.