Super League Kerala unveils franchisees for inaugural season

Football in Kerala, renowned for its exceptional talent pool and passionate fan base, is set to embark on a thrilling new chapter with the announcement of the franchisees for the eagerly anticipated Super League Kerala (SLK).

The inaugural season, scheduled to kick off in early September, will feature six franchises: Kochi Pipers FC, Calicut FC, Thrissur Roar FC, Kannur Squad FC, Thiruvananthapuram Kombans FC, and Malappuram FC.

The franchise owners and co-owners bring a mix of sports celebrities, business moguls, and influential personalities. Notable names include tennis legend Mahesh Bhupathi, CEO of SGSE of APL Apollo (Kochi Pipers FC); Kaz Patafta, Chairman and CEO of Brisbane Roar FC; Benoit Joseph of Magnus Sports and Mohammed Rafeeq of Nusym Technologies (Thrissur Roar FC); M P Hassan Kunhi, Director of Kannur

International Airport Ltd; Mibu Jose Nettikadan, Managing Director of Castle Group, Doha; Praveesh Kuzhuppilly, Director of Asset Homes; and Shameem Backer, promoter of Wayanad FC (Kannur Squad FC). Additional stakeholders include Travancore Princess Gowri Lakshmi Bayi, Dr. Mohamed Ilyas Sahadulla, CMD of KIMS Hospital; K C Chandrahasan, MD of Kerala Travels; T J Mathews, Co-owner of Kovalam FC

(Thiruvananthapuram Kombans FC); VA Ajmal Bismi, MD of Bismi Group; Dr. Anvar Ameen Chelat of SAT Tirur FC and Grand Hypermarkets; Baby Neelambra, President of the Saudi Indian Football Forum (Malappuram FC); and VK Mathews, Chairman of IBS Group (Calicut FC).

The well-planned SLK is expected to create vast opportunities across sectors such as sports and entertainment, retail, tourism, leisure, travel, and hospitality, significantly benefiting the six regions and their surrounding areas.

More than a hundred talented youngsters from Kerala will be selected by SLK team owners, offering them world-class exposure and paving the way for their advancement in Indian and international football.
"SLK is certain to redefine football activities in the State in a significant way," stated Kerala Minister of Sports, V Abdurahiman, at the franchise introduction ceremony. SLK CEO Mathew Joseph emphasized that the stadiums and venues were selected to ensure accessibility for football fans. “The chosen venues will offer an unparalleled experience for spectators,” he said, adding that the league will feature promising talents from Kerala as well as from across Asia, Europe, and South America.

Kerala Football Association (KFA) president Navas Meeran remarked, “Kerala has always been a powerhouse of Indian football, but our fans have yet to experience the same level of excitement found in Latin America or Europe. The Super League Kerala will provide our youth with immense opportunities, positively impacting the local population.”

The event was attended by Hibi Eden MP, MLAs TJ Vinod and PV Sreenijan, U Sharafali, President of Kerala Sports Council, and Australia's Consul General (in Chennai), Silai Zaki. Also present were sports figures such as Pro-Kabaddi League co-founder and SLK board member Charu Sharma, and footballers IM Vijayan, Shabbir Ali, Baichung Bhutia, CV Pappachan, CC Jacob, Victor Manjila, MM Jacob, Jo Paul Ancheri, NP Pradeep, Sushant Mathew, and KK Ranjit. Coaches T G Purushothaman, Satheevan Balan, and Narayana Menon also attended the function.

The SLK is poised to cultivate a dedicated fan base similar to those in established soccer-playing nations, bringing a new era of football excitement to Kerala.