Kerala Blasters FC denied club licensing clearance again for 2025–26 season

Kerala Blasters FC has been denied club licensing clearance again for the upcoming 2025–26 season under the All India Football Federation's (AIFF) Club Licensing process.  The club has never got the clearance since 2021-22, when AIFF first began the club licensing system.

In a statement issued on social media, the club said the decision was due to "certain compliance requirements which are regrettably beyond the Club’s control." The nature of these compliance issues has not been specified. But sources told Onmanorama that the safety concerns over the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium at Kaloor, the home ground of Blasters, was the main reason for the club's failure to get their licence renewed.

The club added that it is actively engaging with the relevant authorities to resolve the matter. “We are in active discussions with the relevant authorities and are working closely with all stakeholders to seek an appropriate resolution and tackle the resulting implications in the shortest possible time to avoid any issues for the upcoming season,” the statement read. The club has assured fans that it is doing everything possible to secure a swift resolution.

The AIFF's Club Licensing Committee met on Thursday and concluded the evaluation process for the Premier 1 Licence for the 2025–26 season. Applications were received from 15 clubs. The committee reviewed comprehensive reports and documentation before finalising its decisions.

The results are as follows:

Licence granted without sanctions: Punjab FC

Licence granted with sanctions: Mumbai City FC, Mohun Bagan Super Giant, Bengaluru FC, Jamshedpur FC, FC Goa, Chennaiyin FC, East Bengal FC
(These clubs were granted the licence with sanctions due to minor non-fulfilment of B criteria.)

Licence rejected: Hyderabad FC, Kerala Blasters FC, Odisha FC, NorthEast United FC, Mohammedan Sporting Club, Churchill Brothers FC Goa, Inter Kashi
(These clubs were denied licences due to multiple failures across A and B criteria.)

Clubs whose applications have been rejected have the right to either appeal the decision or request an exemption to participate in the National Club Competitions, as per applicable licensing regulations.

The Indian Club Licensing system is pivotal in maintaining the quality, professionalism, and infrastructure of football clubs in the country. It is an annual process through which clubs acquire the necessary licence to participate in AFC and national club competitions each season. These licences are categorised into ‘Premier 1’ for Indian Super League clubs and ‘Premier 2’ for I-League clubs.