Behind closed doors and with a raft of health safety measures in place, football's Indian Super League (ISL) will kick off on Friday and become the country's first major tournament to be organised since the enforcement of a COVID-19 lockdown eight months ago.
Former champions ATK Mohun Bagan and Kerala Blasters will start the proceedings with what is expected to be a blockbuster clash at the GMC Stadium.
The tournament, which will run from November to March, is being restricted to a single venue in view of the pandemic.
As per the protocols shared with the cubs, everyone involved with the tournament will be required to provide daily health updates through an app specially designed for this purpose.
All the teams have been staying in a bio-secure environment since their arrival in the coastal state.
The 10 competing franchises have been divided into three groups with Group A comprising four teams and Group B and C consisting of three sides each.
The ISL has also formed a central medical team and employed a League Hygiene Officer who will issue operational directives and ensure implementation of the same through the tournament.
The ISL has also mandated that the clubs hire a Hygiene Officer of their own who will be in charge of ensuring the health and safety of the players/team officials throughout the season.
Here's a look at the fixtures and venues for match-week 1:
Match 1: Kerala Blasters FC vs ATK Mohun Bagan
Venue: GMC Stadium
Match 2: NorthEast United FC vs Mumbai City FC
Venue: Tilak Maidan Stadium
Match 3: FC Goa vs Bengaluru FC
Venue: Fatorda Stadium
Match 4: Odisha FC vs Hyderabad FC
Venue: GMC Stadium Bambolim
Match 5: Jamshedpur FC vs Chennaiyin FC
Venue: Tilak Maidan Stadium
