Revamped Indian Super League set for kick off in Kochi

Optimism will mingle with curiosity when the revamped Indian Super League’s fourth season kicks off in Kochi on Friday with more teams and home-grown players seeking to cash in on the euphoria generated by the country’s maiden FIFA event. The ISL will now be a four-month drill — double the length of the previous three editions.

Defending champions ATK and Kerala Blasters, who lost to the rechristened unit from the eastern Indian in last year’s summit showdown, will start the proceedings at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, the venue for the 2016 final.

Now considered the country’s top-tier league, the winner of which will get a direct spot in the AFC Cup (Asia’s equivalent of Europe’s Europa League), it remains to be seen if it is able to sustain the interest and momentum generated by the U-17 World Cup last month.

Two more teams have been added this season — the brand new Jamshedpur FC, backed by the Tata group, and the highly professional Bengaluru FC, making the switch from the I- League.

With the league, which was conceptualised with an aim to make the global sport more popular in the cricket-mad nation, getting recognition from the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), it was logical on …read more