Al Fursan-led consortium acquires Kerala Blasters FC from Magnum Group

Kerala Blasters FC’s Vibin Mohanan, third from left, celebrates with teammates after scoring the second goal during the Indian Super League (ISL) match between Kerala Blasters FC and Jamshedpur FC, In Kochi, Kerala. (PTI File Photo) KOCHI: A consortium led by UAE-based Al Fursan Group has taken full ownership of Kerala Blasters FC, one of the most popular clubs in the Indian Super League. The announcement was made at a press conference in Kochi on Tuesday. Club officials did not disclose the value of the deal, but sources suggest the deal is worth about Rs 120 crore, making it one of the biggest foreign investments in Indian football in recent years.The takeover ends the tenure of Hyderabad-based Magnum Sports, which has owned and managed the club since 2016. Kerala Blasters CEO Abhik Chatterjee said the transfer of ownership will be done in phases and is expected to be completed within the next eight months.Under the new arrangement, the club’s operations will be managed by Ofioh Sports. Its CEO Thameem Anvar said the new owners plan to build a dedicated stadium for the Blasters. He added that more details will be revealed once “Project Blasters” is formally announced.There was speculation that the club might shift its base to Kozhikode, but Chatterjee clarified that Kochi will remain the home of Kerala Blasters. The team will continue to play its home matches at the Jawaharlal Nehru International Stadium. Responding to expectations for the upcoming season, he said the club’s ambitions to win remain strong even though preparations are time-limited. He also confirmed that Ashley Westwood would continue as head coach and make decisions on team matters.Chatterjee dismissed reports suggesting the Blasters’ opening home game could be postponed. He said postponing the match would be unfair to the other teams as the league schedule had already been released.The Al Fursan group is believed to have the backing of business interests linked to the ruling Al Qasimi family in Sharjah. His entry gives the Gulf investment group control of a club with one of the largest fan bases in Indian football.The acquisition comes at a time when Kerala Blasters are gearing up for the 2026-27 ISL season. Magnum Sports sought a buyer and interested parties completed financial, legal and operational due diligence prior to finalizing the sale.