GCDA denies media entry, blocks Kerala Blasters’ pre-match press meet

Kerala Blasters’ Indian Super League (ISL) home fixture against Mumbai City FC has been thrown into uncertainty after the Greater Cochin Development Authority (GCDA) on Saturday blocked the club’s pre-match press conference at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, citing a pending stadium agreement and unresolved financial issues.

Members of the media were asked not to enter the press conference hall despite the Blasters’ head coach and players arriving at the venue for the scheduled interaction. With no access to the facility, the club was forced to shift the press conference online while journalists waited outside the stadium complex.

After the online press conference, the stadium security locked down the entire main entrance.

The dramatic development comes in the wake of a widening dispute between the civic body and the franchise over stadium rent and renovation costs.

Major rent revision triggers standoff

According to multiple media reports on Friday, the GCDA has taken a sharp U-turn on its earlier decision to charge the club a one-time rent of ₹2 lakh per match, a significant reduction from the previously quoted ₹8.4 lakh. The authority has now revised the amount to ₹4.2 lakh.

The sudden hike is understood to be linked to internal differences within the GCDA, with a section of former officials pushing for the recovery of financial losses from Kerala Blasters, per reports. The civic body is also reportedly exploring the possibility of charging the club a substantial amount towards the stadium’s recent renovation expenses.

The new figure is considerably higher than the match rent paid for Super League Kerala fixtures at the same venue, which remains below ₹2 lakh per game.

Renovation linked to cancelled Messi friendly

The renovation work at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium had originally begun in anticipation of a proposed international friendly that was expected to bring Lionel Messi and the Argentina national team to Kochi, an event that had generated enormous excitement among Kerala’s football fans.

Although the high-profile match was eventually called off, portions of the upgrade, aimed at meeting international standards, were left incomplete after sponsors handed the stadium back in its existing condition. Key elements, including the installation of new floodlights, were still pending.

With the ISL season, a truncated one, due to the prolonged dispute between the All India Football Federation (AIFF) and Football Sports Development Limited (FSDL), work at the venue was resumed on a fast-track basis so that Kerala Blasters could host their home match on February 22.

Kerala Blasters had the option of shifting their home fixtures to Kozhikode but opted to remain in Kochi, prioritising their fan base and home atmosphere.

Earlier, the GCDA had formally announced that the reduced ₹2 lakh rent would be a one-time measure to facilitate the ISL matches. The latest revision, however, has led to fresh uncertainty over match operations and access to the stadium.

Match status unclear

With the agreement between the GCDA and the club yet to be finalised and tensions escalating on match eve, the status of Sunday’s fixture against Mumbai City FC now appears uncertain.

Neither Kerala Blasters nor the GCDA had issued an official statement on the press conference disruption at the time of writing, but the episode has added to growing concerns over administrative hurdles affecting one of the ISL’s most high-profile home venues.