Kerala Blasters FC

Kerala Blasters Football Club, commonly known as The Blasters, is a prominent Indian professional football club situated in Kochi, Kerala. Competing in the Indian Super League (ISL), the top tier of Indian football, the club was founded in May 2014 during the inaugural season of the ISL.

Their inaugural match took place on 13th October 2014, resulting in a 1–0 loss to NorthEast United. Over the years, Kerala Blasters have been three-time runners-up in the ISL. They reached the final in 2014, where they were narrowly defeated 1–0 by ATK through an injury-time goal. In 2016, they faced another defeat in the final, this time losing 4–3 to ATK through penalties. Their third final appearance was in 2022, ending in a 3–1 loss to Hyderabad FC through penalties.

Playing their home games at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Kochi, Kerala Blasters consistently boast one of the highest league attendance records, regularly attracting over 30,000 spectators per game. The club shares a fierce rivalry with fellow South Indian neighbours Bengaluru FC and Chennaiyin FC, making the South Indian Derby a highly anticipated contest.

Kerala Blasters FC enjoys immense popularity and boasts one of the largest social media followings among football clubs in Asia. The club’s fans, known as Manjappada, are renowned for their passionate and vocal support. The club’s emblem features an elephant holding a football with its trunk, symbolizing Kerala’s profound connection with the sport. Their traditional kit comprises a yellow and blue colour scheme, with yellow being the primary colour and a prominent identity of the club since its inception.