The President of the All India Football Federation (AIFF), Kalyan Chaubey, praised Football Sports Development Limited (FSDL) and the ISL during a successful ISL 2022-23 season opener which was played in a packed Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Kochi, Kerala on Friday, October 7, 2022. The recently elected AIFF president congratulated the Kerala fans for their return to stadiums after two years and said fans were vital to take Indian football to the next level.
Speaking while witnessing the sea of yellow at the stadium during the opening game and urged football fans across the country to show the same kind of enthusiasm as was seen in Kochi.
“Every football organizer, football federation, and football fan wants to see a stadium like this. Fans are like the salt in your food.
Without fans, football cannot be thought about. The way you have come today on the first day of the ISL, I and the entire AIFF are very happy to see the enthusiasm of Kerala football lovers. I want to see this enthusiasm across India. We are looking forward, along with FSDL, to see how the fans enjoy football in a better ambience," Chaubey said.
Chaubey thanked FSDL and the ISL for their role in conducting the tournament over the years, and their efforts in raising the quality of football in India. He added that a long season like this one was important for the growth of Indian football.
“I want to thank FSDL and ISL for the way they have put together all the efforts, and the way ISL has been conducted. The broadcast quality has been improved so positively since its inception the fans are getting this ambience. We need to have a longer season, so that players can get at least 40-45 matches in a year. That helps a player to grow. If a player does not play 40-45 matches, I believe the fans get deprived and also the clubs," Chaubey said.
FSDL has been instrumental in promoting a longer season calendar to ensure players play more games and top-level football in India in line with the AFC criteria with two cup competitions and a longer ISL season. This season, the ISL will feature 117 matches that will be played across ten venues in front of live crowds. For the first time ever, the ISL league stage will run for close to five months, with each team playing 10 games at home and 10 away, apart from the playoffs, semi-finals and final.
Chaubey added that he has been having fruitful discussions with various stakeholders in India to create a roadmap for the growth of Indian football.
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