THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: It’s football time in the capital city. Come Monday, the ball will start rolling at the Chandrasekharan Nair Stadium as 12 teams vie for the prestigious GV Raja football championship from October 23 to November 5.This year, the big draw will be the presence of not one but three teams from the I-League. Bengaluru FC, ONGC Mumbai and Kerala’s own pride in the I-League, Gokulam FC, will match their skills with some of the best-known football line-ups in the country this season. The 12 teams will compete in two groups, organising committee chairman and former MLA V Sivankutty said.
Kerala Police will take on FC Kerala in the opening match on October 23. The I-League teams aside, Indian Navy also has been given direct entry to the quarterfinals. Group A has Indian Navy, Bengaluru FC, Kerala Police, FC Kerala Thrissur, Viva Chennai and Titanium FC. The Group B teams are ONGC Mumbai, Gokulam FC, SBI Kerala, AG Kerala, KSEB and Signals Goa.
Minister for Sports A C Moideen will inaugurate the latest edition of the GV Raja Football Tournament at 3.45 pm on October 23. V Sivankutty also released the match fixture. Conducted every two years since its revival in 2010, the championship was lifted by the Indian Navy in the 2015 edition.
Entry is Free
Football fans in the district are at the right end of this District Football Association (DFA) decision. Entry to the GV Raja football championship will be free, DFA secretary Geevarghese said.
A Little History
The GV Raja championship, which commemorates the late Godavarma Raja, has a rather chequered history. After the 1984 championships which ended in tragedy after a temporary gallery collapsed during the finals, it was not held for more than a quarter of a century. Then, the DFA, bowing to popular demand, decided to end the neglect and revive it. The first tournament was held in 2010 and the next in 2012. “We conduct it every two years now. There was every need to revive this tournament since the district and the state as a whole lacked quality football tournaments.And this used to be the best known. In 2015, Indian Navy lifted the championship,” Geevarghese said.
Bengaluru FC, ONGC Mumbai and Kerala’s own pride in the I-League, Gokulam FC, will match their skills with some of the best-known football line-ups in the country this season.
Kerala Police will take on FC Kerala in the opening match on October 23.