 | ||||
| Full name | Kerala Blasters Football Club | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | Manjappada (Yellow Army) The Tuskers | |||
| Short name | KBFC, KER | |||
| Founded | 27 May 2014 | |||
| Ground | Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Kochi, Kerala | |||
| Capacity | 80,000 (limited to 41,000 by FIFA from 2017) | |||
| Owners | Magnum Sports Private Limited | |||
| Chairman | Nikhil Bhardwaj | |||
| Head coach | Mikael Stahre | |||
| League | Indian Super League | |||
| 2023–24 | Indian Super League, 5th of 12 Playoffs: Knockout | |||
| Website | keralablastersfc | |||
|
| ||||
Kerala Blasters Football Club (Malayalam: [keːɾɐɭa(ː) bɭaːsteːɻsə̆] ), commonly referred to simply as Blasters, is an Indian professional football club based in Kochi, Kerala, that competes in the Indian Super League (ISL), the top tier of football in India. The club was established in May 2014 during the inaugural season of the ISL.
The club played their inaugural match on 13 October 2014, losing 1–0 to NorthEast United. The Blasters are the three-time runners-up of the Indian Super League. They first entered the final in 2014, where they lost 1–0 to ATK after an injury-time goal from them. In 2016, they were again defeated 4–3 by ATK, this time through penalties in the final. The club entered the final for the third time in 2022, where they were defeated 3–1 by Hyderabad FC through penalties. The Blasters play home games at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Kochi. In most of the seasons since the club's founding, Kerala Blasters have held the record for the highest league attendance, regularly attracting spectators of over 30,000 per game. The club share a rivalry with fellow South Indian neighbours Bengaluru FC and Chennaiyin FC, with whom they contest in the South Indian Derby.
The Blasters are one of the most widely supported clubs in Asia and have one of the largest social media following among football clubs from the continent. The club is also known for their fan base, including the supporters group called Manjappada, which has gained a reputational for being one of the most vocal and passionate fan clubs in Asia. The club's crest features an elephant holding a football with its trunk, denoting Kerala's deep connection with the sport. The club's traditional kit consists of a yellow and blue colour scheme, with yellow being the primary colour and identity of the club ever since the beginning.