Photo credit: X/@KeralaBlasters KOCHI: Preparations for Kerala Blasters’ first home game of the new Indian Super League (ISL) season against Mumbai City FC were thrown into disarray on the eve of Saturday’s game following an unexpected dispute with the Greater Cochin Development Authority (GCDA), which owns the Jawaharlal Nehru International Stadium in Kochi.The GCDA refused permission for a pre-arranged pre-match press conference to be held at the stadium, forcing the club to move the interaction online at short notice.Tensions escalated later in the evening when GCDA officials reportedly asked the entire All India Football Federation (AIFF) staff, including match commissioner Arunava Bhattacharya, to vacate the premises. The authority also reportedly ordered the closure of the club’s administrative office operating in the stadium area.Amid speculation that the match could be called off, the Blasters clarified in a late-night statement that the game would go ahead as scheduled. “At the end of the day, football is the winner. Tomorrow we take to the pitch against Mumbai City FC for our first home game of the season,” the club said.However, a source close to the management said the deal only covers the opening game and it is not yet clear what the remaining home games are.The uncertainty stems from a stadium lease dispute and pending payments.Last week, GCDA chairman K Chandran Pillai announced in a joint press conference with club officials that Rs 2 crore will be charged as a one-off concession for this season instead of Rs 8 crore which was charged during previous seasons.However, the authority’s executive committee, which met on Thursday, reportedly reversed the decision and fixed the rent at Rs 4.2 million per match.Apart from the revised matchday rent, the GCDA is said to have demanded that the Blasters pay the full amount within a week and pay another Rs 22 crore as liability charges from the previous season.According to a club source, the amount in dispute relates to losses and additional expenses arising from the Bharatanatyam event held at the stadium in December last year.“Since the incident happened in the middle of the season, they are asking us to pay this amount. Why should we pay liability for an incident that had nothing to do with us?” the source said.TOI reached out to GCDA officials, but they were not available for comment.The standoff played out publicly earlier in the day when GCDA security personnel asked journalists to vacate the hall designated for the pre-match press conference before locking down the venue. Blasters head coach David Catala and midfielder Rowllin Borges reportedly waited over 30 minutes before leaving once it was clear the interaction would not be allowed to continue.The club subsequently held a media briefing online. During the session, a reporter pointedly asked Catal, “Which is your home?”The Spaniard concentrated on football. According to him, his priority was preparing the team and playing in front of their fans at the stadium. He exuded confidence that the match would continue at the venue despite the uncertainty off the pitch.For now, the Blasters’ home openers will go ahead as scheduled, but the rent dispute remains unresolved, casting a shadow over the rest of their ISL campaign.
