Kerala Blasters’ first ISL 2025-26 home match in doubt after Kochi stadium row forces media to vacate press room

The Indian Super League (ISL) 2025-26 match between Kerala Blasters FC and Mumbai City FC at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Kochi on Sunday (22 February) is in doubt after stadium authorities disallowed a pre-match press conference on Saturday.

The Sunday match will be the Kerala Blasters' first home match in the new season, which has already been delayed due to a lack of a commercial partner for the ISL. Blasters started the season with a 2-0 defeat in an away match on 14 February in Kolkata against Mohun Bagan.

Kerala Blasters vs GCDA dispute

And while they would be hoping to return to winning ways with a victory over Mumbai City in their first home game of the season, uncertainty now looms over the match due to differences between the club and Greater Cochin Development Authority (GCDA), the owners of Kaloor Stadium, also known as the Jawaharlal Nehru International Stadium.

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The main dispute stems from GCDA’s new rent demand of Rs 4.2 lakh plus GST for a match. The towering demand was made on 19 February, according to Onmanorama, and only 10 days after a rent of Rs 2 lakh plus GST for each match was agreed.

"GCDA has decided to relax the stadium rent. We're in consensus on that matter. Last year, it was ₹8.4 lakh per match. This time, it is ₹2 lakh only," GCDA Chairman K Chandran Pillai said at the press conference on 11 February.

"It is a substantial reduction from the GCDA side due to social responsibility and because the Blasters have played a series of matches here.

"An important aspect is that this is a one-time measure. There is no question of repeating that. This time, the economic compulsions and constraints of the Blasters as well as the ISL and All India Football Federation's expression to us, we considered that.

But they have now revised the rent to Rs 4.2 lakh plus GST for each match, which the Blasters have reportedly refused to pay.

Media pushed out of Kochi stadium

Things got worse on Saturday when the media personnel were not allowed enter the press conference hall at the stadium due to the payment dispute, a report in Khel Now claimed. The press conference was eventually held online as the main entrance to the stadium was locked.

It’s quite possible that the club manages to strike a deal with GCDA before the match takes place tomorrow, but for now, there’s no guarantee. The recent episode also highlights the brutal nature of running a professional football club in India.