The Super Cup 2025 edition will kick off in Odisha on 20 April with the opening match between Kerala Blasters and East Bengal. Kerala Blasters finished eighth on the ISL points table while East Bengal finished ninth. The Indian Super League final is scheduled for 12 March, followed by the Super Cup from April.
However, there is still uncertainty over the number of clubs taking part in the tournament. Of the I-League clubs, only Churchill Brothers and Inter Kashi have confirmed their participation in the Super Cup. As a result, the tournament will have fewer teams than planned, reports the Times of India.
The tournament, organised by the All India Football Federation (AIFF), will be held in Odisha later this month. The AIFF had originally planned to involve three I-League clubs, but only two have shown interest. Many I-League clubs have cited financial difficulties as the reason for their exclusion, so there may be changes to the format.
The Super Cup winners earn a place in the AFC Champions League 2 (ACL2) play-offs to qualify for continental football.
As this is a knockout tournament, the team will be eliminated if they lose. So this is a crucial match for both teams. Kerala Blasters are playing in the Super Cup under new coach David Katala. It remains to be seen how much the arrival of the new coach will help the team.
