KOCHI: After weeks of speculation, and anxiety, Kerala Blasters FC have finally settled the big question — there will be no move to Kozhikode this season. Kochi will remain their Indian Super League (ISL) home.
The club confirmed on Monday evening that it has signed a fresh agreement with the Greater Cochin Development Authority (GCDA), ensuring that the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Kaloor will continue to host its home matches. For football fans across the state, it comes as a collective sigh of relief — Kochi’s central location makes travel easier and preserves the city’s long-standing identity as the nerve centre of Kerala football.
The decision follows a brief but intense standoff that had threatened to shift home matches to the EMS Corporation Stadium in Kozhikode.
Ahead of the delayed and tightly packed 2025–26 ISL season, the Blasters had explored the move, citing unfinished renovation at the Kaloor stadium and steep rental costs — reportedly to be as high as Rs 10 lakh per match.
With the season set to kick off this weekend, a fresh round of communication between the club and the GCDA reopened the door to Kochi.
“The GCDA has informed that the remaining renovation work in the stadium, including fixing of the removed flood lights, will be completed by February 20, ahead of the first home match. Talks were re-initiated with the authority as there were delays in communication from the side of the Kerala Football Association which maintains the Kozhikode stadium and with the league just around the corner,” a Kerala Blasters spokesperson said.
The GCDA-owned Nehru Stadium — with its massive, arching stands — has been the Blasters’ fortress since the club’s inception in 2013. Last September, both sides had mutually terminated their earlier contract as the ISL calendar drifted and the stadium entered a renovation phase linked to the now-shelved “Messi project” of the government.
The Blasters had previously been paying around Rs 8.45 lakh per match as rent, which was set to increase this season. Sources now indicate that the new agreement significantly reduces the rental burden to under Rs 2 lakh per match, a crucial factor in the club’s decision to stay.
The 35,000-capacity venue, which underwent renovation worth around Rs 70 crore, had been closed since September, 2025, and was handed over to private agency, Reporter Broadcasting Corporation, and the event managers, Sports Kerala Foundation. The venue was returned to the GCDA in late December, albeit with some work pending.
Facing mounting criticism from supporters and stakeholders, the GCDA moved quickly to reassure fans. Addressing the media last week, GCDA chairperson Chandran Pillai said the authority was keen to bring the Blasters back.
“The All India Football Federation (AIFF) has asked us to allow the club to use the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium as their home ground. Since the stadium has been renovated and facilities improved, we will take a favourable decision to bring the team back to Kochi,” he had said.
That assurance has now translated into action, with both sides confirming the new arrangement.
The Blasters’ first home match is scheduled for February 22 against Mumbai City FC, one of nine home fixtures this season. The ISL will also mark the first major sporting event at the renovated stadium.