KOCHI: With the next home clash just days away, the real contest for Kerala Blasters FC is unfolding off the pitch. A crucial meeting with the Greater Cochin Development Authority (GCDA) later this week is expected to decide whether the Blasters’ future at the Jawaharlal Nehru International Stadium remains intact — or heads for another twist.
Even as the team prepares for Saturday’s fixture on February 28, uncertainty hangs thick over the Kaloor stadium. The tension spilled into public view just two days before the Blasters’ first home match against Mumbai City FC on February 22, when GCDA officials briefly halted club operations at the stadium. Behind the scenes, it was less about football and more about finances. According to a GCDA executive council member, divisions had surfaced within the authority over the sharply reduced rent announced by Chairperson K Chandran Pillai.
“Some members felt the rent had been reduced too drastically. The team now has the opportunity to earn profits from ticket sales and advertisement revenues throughout the tournament, while the authority is incurring a hefty loss,” the member told TNIE on condition of anonymity. “At the same time, the team was asked to clear Rs 7 lakh that the authority charged last year for stadium maintenance. Only Rs 5 lakh has been paid so far. Currently, the authority is backing the decision to fix the rent at Rs 4.2 lakh. Discussions on this will take place this week,” he said.
GCDA officials said the authority is entitled to deduct the amount from the Rs 1 crore caution deposit — a refundable, interest-free sum held by the authority to cover potential damages, unpaid bills, rent arrears, and other liabilities related to the use of the facilities. On the other hand, Blasters maintain that the Rs 5 lakh was paid as rent for using the ground.
The standoff comes after weeks of uncertainty. The dispute over hosting nine ISL fixtures at the GCDA-owned stadium had nearly pushed the Blasters out of Kochi. Faced with what they described as unaffordable rent — Rs 8.4 lakh per match last season — the club was exploring a shift to Kozhikode. In a dramatic reversal, GCDA invited the team back, slashing the rent to around Rs 2 lakh. But even that relief package has now become the subject of internal friction within the authority.
Adding to the drama was a viral video showing water dripping from the stadium roof during heavy summer rain. GCDA officials have dismissed the clip as misleading. “The video was of a doorway in the roof that had been opened for workers fixing the floodlights ahead of Sunday’s match. The work went on till late Saturday night. Roof repairs were not part of the renovation agreement with sponsors of the Messi event. Comprehensive maintenance was carried out by GCDA just a year ago,” an official clarified.