Calicut corporation stadium is also known as EMS stadium | Mathrubhumi
Kozhikode: After a long hiatus, the football frenzy crowd in Malabar is gearing up to welcome a major football tournament. The AIFF Super Cup, also called the Super Cup, will be held from April 3 to 24 at various venues in Kozhikode and Manjeri. Besides the Indian Super League teams, squads from across the country will compete in the tournament.
For the past few days, preparations have been full swing at the EMS Stadium in Kozhikode. Currently, the grass turfs in the stadium are under restoration along with training venues at Medical College Olympian Rahman stadium, Devagiri College ground, and Calicut University ground. Several teams had previously expressed concern about the grass turf in the EMS stadium. The organisers assure renovation works will be completed on time.
Floodlight renovation is also progressing, and new foreign-made light bulbs will replace the existing ones. However, match broadcasts during the night require high-powered lights. In the past, I League matches were held in the day time due to visibility issues with flood lights. Further, the lack of amenities was cited as a primary reason for the omission of the district from conducting national tournaments.
Bengaluru FC won the inaugural edition, followed by Goa FC in 2019. From 2020 to 2022, the competition was suspended due to COVID pandemic restrictions. Interestingly, Kerala Blasters FC, who controversially walked off the pitch against Bengaluru FC during an ISL match, will look to take revenge against their Karnataka neighbour when they face off on April 18.