The All India Football Federation (AIFF) has handed a direct entry to Kerala's Gokulam FC for the upcoming 2017-18 edition of I-League.
The decision comes after AIFF Bid Evaluation Committee met in the national capital to evaluate the bids submitted after the tendering process was initiated on August 18.
From the bids submitted, the Bid Evaluation Committee decided to award Sree Gokulam Group the right to field their team in the I-League.
"It gives me great pleasure to welcome a new Kerala team from Sree Gokulam Group to the Hero I-League from the 2017-18 season," AIFF General Secretary, Kushal Das stated.
The team will be playing their home matches out of Calicut, Kerala.
Das added, "I hope the club would be able to ignite the passion of Kerala football in Calicut where they will be playing from."
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I-League CEO, Sunando Dhar also sounded 'happy' with the inclusion. "We would like to congratulate Sree Gokulam Group on winning the bid. It has been our endeavour to have corporate teams come into the Hero I-League and the team from Kerala will open a new market for the league."
"It will be beneficial to both the Hero I-League as well as Indian football. And I'm sure the passionate football fans of Kerala will be delighted to have a team of their own", Dhar added.