Football in Kerala

Overview of football in Kerala

Football in Kerala

Members of the Kerala football team

Governing body| Kerala Football Association (KFA)[1]

Audience records

Single match| 100,000 (India vs Iraq 1997 Nehru Cup semi-final)[2]

Football is one of the most popular sports in Kerala.[3] Malabar, the northern region of Kerala, is the main powerhouse of Kerala football, It was introduced to the land of Kerala during the pre-independence period by British officers of the Malabar Special Police (MSP) in the 20th century. MSP was camped in Malappuram and soon the natives began adopting the sport, which was mostly played in post-harvest paddy fields.[4] Kerala enjoyed a golden age from 1985 to 1995 by making it to Santhosh Trophy finals seven times consecutively, and football became an iconic sport ever since in the south Indian state.[5] FIFA released the film Maitanam - The Story of Football in Kerala, quoting: Football in the Indian state of Kerala runs through the fabric of its society, where football is life and life is football.[6]

Manjappada displaying a tifo and banners during a match

Kerala state football team appeared in the Santosh Trophy finals 15 times and won the trophy 7 times, latest in 2022 by defeating Bengal in the final on 2 May at the Payyanadu Stadium in Malappuram. Gokulam Kerala FC won the 2020–21 I-League to become the first ever club from Kerala to win an I-League title. They created history by becoming the first team in the I-League era to defend its title, being 2021-22 I-League champions.[7] Gokulam Kerala FC is also the first club from Kerala to qualify for a continental competition, the AFC Cup.[8] Kerala Blasters, the Indian Super League club based in Kochi, are one of the most widely supported clubs in Asia and with one of the largest social media following among the football clubs from the continent.[9] Travancore Royals Football Club (TRFC), founded on 29 November 2018, is India's first fans-owned club.[10]

Kerala Premier League, together with Kerala Super League, is the official state level tournament, succeeding Kerala State Club Football Championship, both organized by the Kerala Football Association. SBI Kerala FC is the most successful Kerala League team becoming champions 6 times while Travancore Titanium FC is most successful in the Championship, winning it 10 times.

## History

[edit]

Football has been a passion of thousands of Malayalees for the last several decades—much before the state of Kerala was formed on 1 November 1956. Kerala Football Association was formed in 1948 to directly oversees the development of football in Kerala from grassroots to senior level.

The Sait Nagjee Cup Football Tournament is a popular international club football tournament held in Kozhikode which has been attracting large crowd since 1952. Brazilian footballer Ronaldinho has served as the brand ambassador for the Sait Nagjee Football Tournament.

Famous international footballers including Ronaldinho,[11] Maradona,[12] Roberto Carlos,[13] Thomas Tuchel[14] visited Kerala for different reasons. David James and Dimitar Berbatov managed Kerala Blasters in different season. The Hero Super Cup of 2023 was held in Kerala.

## Administration

[edit]

Football in Kerala is administered by the Kerala Football Association[15] It sends state teams for Santosh Trophy and Senior Women's National Football Championship.

## State team

[edit]

State teams of Kerala

Football (Men's) | Football (Women's)

Kerala football team is governed by the Kerala Football Association (KFA) and is a member of the All India Football Federation (AFC) since 1948, the national governing body for indian football. There are other Kerala football team for women's also.

### Performance

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The following list includes the performance of all of Kerala's state teams at major competitions.

### Men's team

[edit]

Kerala men's football team

The Kerala football team represents Kerala in Indian state football competitions, including the Santosh Trophy.[16]

Tournament  | Best
performance

|

Santosh Trophy | Champions (1973–74, 1991–92, 1992–93, 2001–02, 2004–05, 2017–18, 2021–2022)
National Games | Gold (1987, 1997)
B.C. Roy Trophy | Champions (1968–69, 1971–72, 1972–73)
Mir Iqbal Hussain Trophy | Champions (1981–82, 1983–84)
M. Dutta Ray Trophy | Champions (1995)

### Women's team

[edit]

Main article: Kerala women's football team

Kerala women's football team represents Kerala in the Senior Women's National Football Championship.[17] They have appeared in the Santosh Trophy finals once, and were the runners-up at their maiden attempt at the 2005–06 Senior Women's National Football Championship edition against the reigning champions Manipur at Rourkela.[18]

Tournament  | Best
performance

|

Senior Women's National Football Championship | Runners-up (2005–06)
National Games | Bronze (1999)

## Affiliated district associations

[edit]

All 14 districts of Kerala are affiliated with the Kerala Football Association.

No. | Association | District  | President

|
|
|

1 | Alappuzha District Football Association | Alappuzha |
2 | Ernakulam District Football Association | Ernakulam |
3 | Idukki District Football Association | Idukki |
4 | Kannur District Football Association | Kannur |
5 | Kasaragod District Football Association | Kasaragod |
6 | Kollam District Football Association | Kollam |
7 | Kottayam District Football Association | Kottayam |
8 | Kozhikode District Football Association | Kozhikode |
9 | Malappuram District Football Association | Malappuram |
10 | Palakkad District Football Association | Palakkad |
11 | Pathanamthitta District Football Association | Pathanamthitta |
12 | Thiruvananthapuram District Football Association | Thiruvananthapuram |
13 | Thrissur District Football Association | Thrissur |
14 | Wayanad District Football Association | Wayanad |

## Competitions in Kerala

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### District Level

[edit]

#### Men's Senior

[edit]

* Inter-District State Championship Senior Men

#### Men's Youth

[edit]

* Inter-District State Championship Junior Boys
* Inter-District State Championship Sub-Junior Boys

#### Women's Senior

[edit]

* Inter-District State Championship Senior Women

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### Club Level

[edit]

#### Men's Senior

[edit]

* Kerala Premier League (5th division of Indian football league system)
* Super League Kerala (franchise league)
* Malabar Premier League
* N.I. David Memorial Trophy

#### Women's Senior

[edit]

* Kerala Women's League (3rd division of Indian football league system)

|

#### Evolution of the football system

[edit]

Years  | 1948  | 1948–1952  | 1952–1970  | 1970–1998  | 1998–2007  | 2007–2013  | 2013–2015  | 2013–2016  | 2016–2017  | 2017–2021  | 2021–2023  | 2024–

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

Level
Men's
State leagues  | 1 | Formation of
Kerala Football Association (KFA) | None | Kerala Football League | None | Kerala Premier League | Kerala Super League
1 | None | Kerala Premier League
2 | Kerala Premier League Second Division
Tournament |  | None | Kerala State Club Football Championship | Discontinued
Senior Inter-District Men's Football Championship
None | Sait Nagjee Football Tournament | Not conducted
Women's
State leagues  | 1 |  | None | Kerala Women's League | None | Kerala Women's League

## Stadiums

[edit]

The league and tournaments are generally played at the following Stadiums:

Stadium  | Capacity  |

|
|

Calicut Corporation EMS Stadium, Kozhikode | 50,000  |  Kozhikode EMS Stadium
Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium (Kochi) †  | 40,000  |
Greenfield International Stadium Trivandrum | 50,000  |
Malappuram District Sports Complex Stadium | 30,000  |
Thrissur Municipal Corporation Stadium | 15,000  |

Note. † denotes stadiums that have hosted international football matches.

## National clubs from Kerala

[edit]

Current clubs from Kerala, that are playing in any of divisions of Indian football.

Club  | Hometown  | Founded  | Best form

|
|
|

Kerala United FC[19] | Kozhikode  | 1976  |

* Kerala Premier League Champions (1): 2022-23

Kerala Police football team | Thiruvananthapuram  | 1984  |

* Federation Cup Winners (2): 1990, 1991[20]
* Kerala State Club Football Championship Winners (6): 1985, 1987,1995, 1998, 2014, 2016

Kovalam Football Club | Thiruvananthapuram  | 2009  |
Golden Threads FC | Kochi  | 2010  |

* Kerala Premier League Champion (1): 2021–22

FC Kerala | Thrissur  | 2014  |
Kerala Blasters FC | Kochi  | 2014  |

* Indian Super League
* Runners-up (3): 2014, 2016, 2021–22
* Kerala Premier League Champions (1): 2019-20 (reserve team)

Gokulam Kerala FC | Kozhikode  | 2017  |

* I-league Champions (2): 2020-21,[21] 2021-22[22]
* Durand Cup Champions (1): 2019[20]
* Kerala Premier League Champions (2): 2017-18, 2020–21

## List of state level champions

[edit]

| (KFL/KPL) champions  | (KFL/KPL) Championship season  | Kerala State Club Football Championship | Kerala State Club Football Championship seasons

|
|
|
|

SBI Kerala FC | 6  | 2000/01, 2003/04, 2006/07, 2008, 2015, 2016  | 5  |
FC Kochin  | 2  | 1998/99, 1999/00  | \-  |
KSEB  | 2  | 2004/05, 2017  | 3  |
Gokulam Kerala  | 2  | 2018, 2020/21  | \-  |
Viva Kerala  | 1  | 2005/06  | \-  |
Eagles FC  | 1  | 2014  | \-  |
Indian Navy  | 1  | 2018/19  | \-  |
Kerala Blasters FC Reserves | 1  | 2019/20  | \-  |
Golden Threads  | 1  | 2021/22  | \-  |
Titanium FC | \-  | \-  | 10  |
Kerala Police  | \-  | \-  | 7  |
KSRTC  | \-  | \-  | 3  |
Premier Tyres FC  | \-  | \-  | 3  |
AGORC,Thiruvananthapuram  | \-  | \-  | 2  |
Central Excise RC  | \-  | \-  | 1  |
Keltron FC | \-  | \-  | 1  |
FC Kochin | \-  | \-  | 1  |
Kochin Port Trust  | \-  | \-  | 1  |
Josco FC | \-  | \-  | 1  |

## Notable footballers

[edit]

This list is incomplete; you can help by adding missing items. (February 2023)

|

The state of Kerala has contributed many legends to Indian football, such as:

* I M Vijayan
* V. P. Sathyan
* C. V. Pappachan
* Jo Paul Ancheri
* Victor Manjila
* E.N. Sudhir
* Mohammed Rafi
* C.K. Vineeth
* Anas Edathodika
* Sahal Abdul Samad
* Rino Anto
* Rahul Kannoly Praveen
* Ashique Kuruniyan
* N.P Pradeep
* Krishnan Nair Ajayan
* Zakeer Mundampara
* Usman Ashik
* Muhammed Sagar Ali
* Denson Devadas
* C. S. Sabeeth
* Mohamed Irshad
* Asif Kottayil
* Sushanth Mathew

## Notable academies

[edit]

* A.C. Milan Academy Kozhikode under A.C. Milan[23]
* Kerala Blasters FC Reserves and Academy[24]
* Gokulam Football Foundation under Gokulam Kerala FC[25]
* Muthoot Football Academy
* Parappur Football Academy (PFC KERALA)

## See also

[edit]

* Sevens Football Association
* Football in Thrissur

## References

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1. ^ Kausik Bandyopadhyay (2006). A Social History of Indian Football: Striving to Score. Routledge. ISBN 9780415348355.
2. ^ "STADIUM". waytokickoff.com. Archived from the original on 2 June 2021. Retrieved 24 January 2021.
3. ^ Kumar, PK Ajith (22 December 2022). "Following the football World Cup craze in Kerala". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Archived from the original on 1 February 2023. Retrieved 1 February 2023.
4. ^ "How Kerala shrunk football to make it its own". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 5 November 2021. Retrieved 1 February 2023.
5. ^ Kumar, Laxmi Mohan (10 November 2022). "Football Fever: Recollecting Kerala's Craze For The Sport Amidst Cut-Out Wars & World Cup Debates". thelogicalindian.com. Archived from the original on 1 February 2023. Retrieved 1 February 2023.
6. ^ "Kerala's passion for football and its links to anti-imperialism". The New Indian Express. Archived from the original on 1 February 2023. Retrieved 1 February 2023.
7. ^ PTI (14 May 2022). "Gokulam Kerala become first team to defend title in I-League era, beating Mohammedan SC 2-1". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Archived from the original on 4 February 2023. Retrieved 4 February 2023.
8. ^ Dey, Sayak Dipta. "Gokulam Kerala FC win I-League, qualify for AFC Cup". www.sportskeeda.com. Archived from the original on 27 March 2021. Retrieved 5 February 2023.
9. ^ "'ചരിത്രമെഴുതി മഞ്ഞപ്പട'; 'ഏഷ്യയില്‍' അഞ്ചാം സ്ഥാനവുമായി കേരളാ ബ്ലാസ്റ്റേഴ്‌സ്". News18 Malayalam (in Malayalam). Archived from the original on 8 February 2023. Retrieved 8 February 2023.
10. ^ "The Travancore Royals Football Club Is Amplifying Women's Presence In The Field Of Sports Through Their Women's Day Campaign". PinkLungi. 4 March 2022. Archived from the original on 1 February 2023. Retrieved 1 February 2023.
11. ^ "Brazilian superstar Ronaldinho arrives in Kerala". sportstar.thehindu.com. 24 January 2016. Archived from the original on 8 April 2023. Retrieved 8 April 2023.
12. ^ "Throwback: When Diego Maradona visited Kerala | Goal.com". www.goal.com. Retrieved 8 April 2023.
13. ^ admin (19 May 2021). "Roberto Carlos - People Of Kerala Were Like Brazillian Football Fans | IFTWC - Indian Football Team For World Cup". Archived from the original on 8 April 2023. Retrieved 8 April 2023.
14. ^ "'Ayurvedic rejuvenation': Former Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel explains reason behind visit to India". Hindustan Times. 30 October 2022. Retrieved 8 April 2023.
15. ^ "All India Football Federation - About AIFF - State Associations". AIFF. Archived from the original on 21 March 2012. Retrieved 25 March 2012.
16. ^ "West Bengal, Kerala & Punjab drawn together in tantalizing group in 75th edition of Hero Santosh Trophy". the-aiff.com. All India Football Federation. 6 January 2022. Archived from the original on 6 January 2022. Retrieved 2 March 2022.
17. ^ "Kerala Football Association".
18. ^ "Kerala hope for a new dawn in women's football". The Times of india. 29 November 2021.
19. ^ Kumar, Ajith (26 September 2012). "Quartz SC goes on signing spree". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 16 December 2019. Retrieved 26 September 2012.
20. ^ a b "Major triumphs by football clubs from Kerala". OnManorama. Archived from the original on 1 February 2023. Retrieved 1 February 2023.
21. ^ "I-League 2020-21: Gokulam Kerala crowned champions". ESPN.com. 27 March 2021. Retrieved 1 February 2023.
22. ^ "Gokulam Kerala beat Mohammedan to the 2021-22 I-League championship | Goal.com". www.goal.com. Archived from the original on 1 February 2023. Retrieved 1 February 2023.
23. ^ "Milan Academy Kozhikode". AC Milan. Archived from the original on 1 February 2023. Retrieved 1 February 2023.
24. ^ "Young Blasters – Kerala Blasters FC". Archived from the original on 1 February 2023. Retrieved 1 February 2023.
25. ^ "Gokulam Football Foundation". Gokulam Kerala FC. Archived from the original on 1 February 2023. Retrieved 1 February 2023.

* v
* t
* e

Football in Kerala

Kerala Football Association

State teams|

* Kerala football team
* Kerala women's football team

Clubs|

| ISL|

* Kerala Blasters

|

I-League|

* Gokulam Kerala
* Sports Academy Tirur (I-League 2)
* Kerala United FC (I-League 3)

KPL|

* FC Kerala
* Kerala United
* Kovalam
* Golden Threads
* Kerala Police
* Eagles
* SBI Kerala

SLK|

* Malappuram FC
* Calicut FC
* Thiruvananthapuram Kombans
* Thrissur Magic
* Kannur Warriors
* Forca Kochi

Indian Women's League|

* Gokulam Kerala Women
* Kerala Blasters W.F.C.

League competitions|

* Kerala Premier League
* Kerala Women's League

Cup competitions|

* Sait Nagjee Football Tournament
* Scissors Cup (defunct)
* Kerala State Club Football Championship (defunct)
* N.I. David Memorial Trophy

Stadiums|

* Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium
* Kottappadi Football Stadium
* Calicut Medical College Stadium
* Chandrasekharan Nair Stadium
* EMS Stadium
* Lal Bahadur Shastri Stadium, Kollam
* Malappuram District Sports Complex Stadium
* Thrissur Municipal Corporation Stadium

Others|

* Sevens football
* R B Ferguson Club
* Football in Thrissur

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