Thiruvananthapuram: Gokulam FC has won a direct entry for the Hero I-League. The bid evaluation committee of All-India Football Federation (AIFF), which met in New Delhi, decided to award the Kerala-based Sree Gokulam Group the right to field a team in the Hero I-League from 2017-18 onwards.
Gokulam FC, which was launched with much fanfare earlier this year by Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, will be based in Kozhikode and will probably play its home matches at the Corporation Stadium. Gokulam FC becomes the first team after State Bank of Travancore (SBT) from Kerala to figure in the league. SBT played three seasons.
AIFF general-secretary Kushal Das welcomed Gokulam FC’s entry into the I-League and expressed hope that the club will ignite an interest among football fans of Kozhikode.
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The Hero I-League CEO Suando Dhar said that the entry of Gokulam FC will open a new market for the league in Kerala, where fans are passionate about the game.