The unprecedented walkout by Kerala Blasters in the ISL playoff match against Bengaluru FC on March 3 in protest against a controversial goal has cast a shadow on their participation in the Super Cup.
Blasters had forfeited their match, protesting against a contentious Sunil Chhetri strike. They had filed a protest to the AIFF against referee Crystal John's decision to allow Chhetri take the free-kick that resulted in the goal. The club had requested a ban on the referee, and asked for a replay.
Both the demands have, reportedly, been rejected by the All India Football Federation's (AIFF) disciplinary committee.
AIFF has, reportedly, issued the charge notice to Kerala Blasters for the walkout - a violation punishable under Article 58 of the AIFF Disciplinary Code. According to Article 58.1, if a team refuses to play a match or continue playing one which has begun, the penalty can be a fine of “at least rupees six lakh,” and in serious cases, the offence is aggravated with a “penalty of rupees six lakh and disqualification from a competition in progress and/or exclusion from a future competition.”
The club has been asked to reply by March 12.
It has led to speculations that Kerala Blasters might not find a place in the Super Cup, which is to be played in Kerala from April 8-25 after the qualifying round, which starts from April 3.
The club is expected to field the reserves side in the tournament, and so, it seems likely that the AIFF's action will take effect in the tournament. But, with the AFC's eyes on the Super Cup, it will be a blow to the tournament and the association if a prominent team like Blasters does not play. Not to mention the financial hit that the AIFF will have to take if Kerala Blasters do not play in a tournament held in their home state.
In such a case, Durand Cup will most likely be the tournament where the AIFF's action on the Blasters will take effect.
The draw for the Super Cup was held at the Football House in New Delhi today. Sixteen teams will fight it out for India’s premier cup competition. The champions of the Super Cup will fight it out in a playoff against last season’s I-League champions Gokulam Kerala FC, to determine who will get an entry into the AFC Cup South Zone group.
The 11 ISL teams and the winners of the I-League will get a direct entry into the group stage of the competition.
Seven teams from the I-League (those ranked from second to eighth) will have a set of playoff qualifiers to get into the group stage of the tournament. Furthermore, the teams ranked ninth and tenth will play a qualifying playoff and the winners will get a place in the qualifiers.
The draw saw the 16 participating teams divided into four groups of four. Interestingly, Bengaluru FC and Kerala Blasters have been clubbed in Group A, along with newly crowned I-League champions RoundGlass Punjab FC and the winners of the qualifier between the second ranked I-League team and the team that won the eliminator.
Group B consists of Hyderabad FC, Odisha FC, East Bengal FC and the winners of the playoff between the I-League teams ranked fourth and seventh. ATK Mohun Bagan, Jamshedpur FC, FC Goa and the winners of the playoff between the teams ranked third and eighth in the I-League are in Group C.
Group D consists of the newly crowned ISL 2022-23 League Shield winners Mumbai City FC, Chennaiyin FC, North East United FC and the winners of the playoff between the fifth ranked I-League team and the one ranked sixth. The fixtures for the competition are listed below.
Qualifying playoff
April 3: I-League 9 vs I-League 10, EMS Corporation Stadium, Kozhikode
Qualifiers
April 5: Q1, I-League 2 vs Winners of Qualifying playoff, EMS Corporation Stadium, Kozhikode
April 5: Q2, I-League 3 vs I-League 8, EMS Corporation Stadium, Kozhikode
April 6: Q3, I-League 4 vs I-League 7, EMS Corporation Stadium, Kozhikode
April 6: Q4, I-League 5 vs I-League 6, EMS Corporation Stadium, Kozhikode
Group A
April 8: Bengaluru FC vs Winners Q1, EMS Corporation Stadium, Kozhikode
April 8: Kerala Blasters FC vs RoundGlass Punjab FC, EMS Corporation Stadium, Kozhikode
April 12: Winners Q1 vs Kerala Blasters FC, EMS Corporation Stadium, Kozhikode
April 12: RoundGlass Punjab vs Bengaluru FC, EMS Corporation Stadium, Kozhikode
April 16: RoundGlass Punjab vs Winners Q1, EMS Corporation Stadium, Kozhikode
April 16: Bengaluru FC vs Kerala Blasters FC, EMS Corporation Stadium, Kozhikode
Group B
April 9: Hyderabad FC vs Winners Q3, Payyanad Stadium, Manjeri
April 9: Odisha FC vs East Bengal FC, Payyanad Stadium, Manjeri
April 13: Winners Q3 vs Odisha FC, Payyanad Stadium, Manjeri
April 13: East Bengal FC vs Hyderabad FC, Payyanad Stadium, Manjeri
April 17: East Bengal vs Winners Q3, Payyanad Stadium, Manjeri
April 17: Hyderabad FC vs Odisha FC, Payyanad Stadium, Manjeri
Group C
April 10: ATK Mohun Bagan vs Winners Q2, EMS Corporation Stadium, Kozhikode
April 10: FC Goa vs Jamshedpur FC, EMS Corporation Stadium, Kozhikode
April 14: Winners Q2 vs FC Goa, EMS Corporation Stadium, Kozhikode
April 14: Jamshedpur FC vs ATK Mohun Bagan, EMS Corporation Stadium, Kozhikode
April 18: Jamshedpur FC vs Winners Q2, EMS Corporation Stadium, Kozhikode
April 18: ATK Mohun Bagan vs FC Goa, EMS Corporation Stadium, Kozhikode
Group D
April 11: Mumbai City FC vs Winners Q4, Payyanad Stadium, Manjeri
April 11: Chennaiyin FC vs NorthEast United FC, Payyanad Stadium, Manjeri
April 15: Winners Q4 vs Chennaiyin FC, Payyanad Stadium, Manjeri
April 15: NorthEast FC vs Mumbai City FC, Payyanad Stadium, Manjeri
April 19: NorthEast United FC vs Winners Q4, Payyanad Stadium, Manjeri
April 19: Mumbai City FC vs Chennaiyin FC, Payyanad Stadium, Manjeri
SEMIFINALS
April 21: Winners Group A vs Winners Group C, EMS Corporation Stadium, Kozhikode
April 22: Winners Group B vs Winners Group D, Payyanad Stadium, Manjeri
FINAL
April 25: Winners Semi Final 1 vs Winners Semi Final 2, EMS Corporation Stadium, Kozhikode.
