KOCHI: Kochi has suffered a major sporting setback, with Kerala Blasters shifting base to Kozhikode — a development that has kicked up sharp criticism of the Greater Cochin Development Authority’s lackadaisical approach in handling the city’s key stadium assets.
The development has dealt a twin blow to Kochi: The loss of one of Kerala’s biggest sporting brands and the loss of a steady stream of revenue linked to the stadium ecosystem. Stakeholders point out that the Blasters’ presence ensured regular footfall, match-day activity, commercial visibility for the Jawaharlal Nehru International (JNI) Stadium in Kaloor. With the club now operating out of Kozhikode, Kochi has effectively been pushed out of a space it once enjoyed.
The criticism is not limited to the Kaloor stadium. The GCDA-owned Ambedkar Stadium — redeveloped with the laying of an artificial turf ahead of the FIFA U-17 World Cup in 2017 — has remained neglected for years, with the authority repeatedly citing fund shortages in failing to develop the facility into a viable venue. At the same time, the JNI Stadium, widely regarded as the biggest and best in the state, has been in the headlines for all the wrong reasons. Despite having facilities far superior to any other sports facility in Kerala, the last official sports event it hosted was Blasters’ home match last March.
With the Indian Super League (ISL) season delayed and the stadium handed over to Sports Kerala Foundation and Reporter Broadcasting Company for renovation — in anticipation of a now uncertain visit by the Argentina national team — the venue remained largely idle. Sources said renovation work, supposed to be completed in November 2025 and later pushed to end-December, is still pending.
According to Blasters, the club paid around `10 lakh for a match in Kochi, an expense they believe is not worth the losses expected to be incurred in the upcoming truncated season.
However, GCDA maintains that the club has not approached it for an agreement. “The team has not approached us for any kind of agreement this season. We could only move on to rent negotiations if we are approached. Moreover, the remaining works, which include floodlights and road resurfacing can be completed as soon as possible if they want to use the ground,” said GCDA chairperson K Chandran Pillai. He added that the rent amount was `8.75 lakh per match.
A Blasters spokesperson said the decision to move was taken after assessing operational requirements and the need for a base that supports the club’s long-term plans. The spokesperson also indicated that the club was looking at a more stable and supportive ecosystem for training and match-day operations.
Vacuum created by inertia
However, critics argue that the larger issue is the failure of GCDA to act with urgency and clarity at a time when Kochi needed to protect its position as Kerala’s football hub. The perception among many in the sporting community is that institutional inertia created the vacuum that Kozhikode was quick to fill.
Even as Kochi tries to regroup after losing the Blasters, another opportunity appears to have slipped through its fingers. According to Super League Kerala (SLK) sources, the league had drawn up a plan to revive the Ambedkar Stadium, with Forca Kochi FC keen on making it their home ground. But the initiative has now run into trouble, with GCDA yet again failing to give its nod. “SLK was ready to re-innovate and revive the Ambedkar Stadium. Again, GCDA didn’t give its nod for reasons known only to itself,” SLK sources said