Kerala Blasters foreign players, coaches fly back as ISL unlikely to start this year

The coaches and foreign players of Kerala Blasters have flown back after the club suspended operations of the first team following the uncertainty over the start of the Indian Super League (ISL) season.

The Blasters and a few other top clubs in the country, including reigning ISL champions Mohun Bagan Super Giant, opted to discontinue training after the All India Football Federation (AIFF) failed to finalise a commercial partner for the ISL.

Justice (retired) L Nageswara Rao, who is the chairperson of the Bid Evaluation Committee of the AIFF, is expected to move the Supreme Court due to the impasse.

Meanwhile, the Blasters camp confirmed that head coach David Catala and their foreign delegation, comprising new signings Koldo Obieta, Juan Rodriguez and Tiago Alves, have left the country.

"The idea was to give the squad a short break after the Super Cup and resume training for the league, but now, as the season is unlikely to start in December, it was not practical to have the players stay back," said a Blasters source.

The Blasters exited in the Group stage of the Cup event after a heartbreaking 0-1 defeat to Mumbai City. The Blasters and City finished level on points, but the latter advanced by virtue of their head-to-head record.

According to reports, the Blasters and other ISL clubs participated in the Super Cup in Goa after being told by the AIFF that the league would start by the end of the year. However, with the AIFF unable to find a commercial partner, the ISL, which was scheduled to begin in September, has most likely been pushed to 2026.