I-League debutants Sudeva Delhi FC and Mohammedan SC will meet in the opening clash of the 2020/21 I-League season at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Stadium, Kolkata on January 9 next year.
The fixture for the first 10 rounds of the I-League was released on Tuesday, with the schedule for the next stage to be released later.
Due to the prevailing Covid-19 pandemic, the tournament will be played in Kolkata and the neighboring town of Kalyani.
The tournament will be played at three venues — the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Stadium, the Kalyani Municipal Stadium, and the Kishore Bharati Krirangan.
The opening day of the I-League will feature the clash between Sudeva Delhi FC and Mohammedan SC kicking-off at 2 pm IST. It will be followed by successive kick-offs at 4 pm IST (RoundGlass Punjab FC vs Aizawl FC) and 7 pm IST (Gokulam Kerala FC vs Chennai City FC). The last two matches on January 9 will be held at the Kalyani Municipal Stadium.
“We are about to experience a new version of the Hero I-League this time as all the teams will be operating from within the bubble,” said AIFF Leagues CEO Sunando Dhar. “It will indeed be a unique experience for all the players, coaches, and officials involved.”
“Of course, we would have loved to have had fans in the stands, but due to the current circumstances, that would not be possible. I just want to convey to all the fans that we will all be there for each other in spirit. I wish all the teams the best ahead of the tournament,” he added.
All the teams’ players and officials, along with the referees and other officials from the local organizing committee will be operating from within the safety of a bio-secure bubble.
