The third season of the Super League Kerala is all set to begin, with defending champions Kannur Warriors FC taking on Thrissur Magic FC in the opening match at the Kannur Jawahar Stadium on Friday, September 25.

The SLK 2026 match 1 is scheduled to kick off at 8 PM, while the opening ceremony and cultural programmes will begin from 6 PM. The half-time entertainment will feature popular rapper Dabzee and other performers, Super League Kerala Head of Operations Sajo Joseph announced.

Kannur Warriors begin title defence

Kannur Warriors enter the new season as defending champions but with a change in the dugout. After Manuel Sánchez’s departure following two seasons in charge, experienced Russian coach Andrey Chernyshov has taken over as head coach.

The Warriors have also strengthened their squad with eight local players from Kannur. The defending champions have retained a strong core while adding quality across departments.

Hajmal Sakeer, regarded as one of the league’s leading goalkeepers, will continue between the posts. The defence includes Spanish player Álvaro alongside Vikas Saini, Sairuthkim and Manoj.

Cameroonian captain Ernestine Lovsamba and Umashankar will operate in midfield, while the attack will be led by Spanish forward Asier Gómez, the team’s top scorer last season. Emerging player Mohammed Sinan is another player expected to play an important role.

“We are entering the new season with the objective of defending our title. We were able to sign top-tier players this season, and we are optimistic about starting our journey with a win against Thrissur tomorrow,” Chernyshov said.

Thrissur Magic eye revenge

Thrissur Magic will begin the campaign under a new head coach as well. Spanish coach David Caneda has taken charge after Chernyshov’s departure. Former India international Jo Paul Ancheri will serve as assistant coach.

Thrissur have retained several key players from last season. Kamaludheen, who was named the league’s best goalkeeper last season, remains in goal. Experienced midfielder Lenny Rodrigues adds experience in the middle of the park, while Naveen Krishna and Afsal continue in attack. Mohammed Ziyad is also retained in defence.

Thrissur Magic Operations Manager Aslam said the team is determined to make amends after last season’s disappointment.

“We returned with disappointment last season, but this time our desire is to secure a victory and return from Kannur with success,” Aslam said.

New trophy and format changes in Season 3

Season 3 also brings several changes to the competition. A new ‘Super League Kerala Shield’ has been introduced and will be awarded to the team finishing at the top of the league table.

The number of matches has increased from 33 to 35, while the semi-finals will now be played over two legs, with teams playing home and away.

Another major change concerns drawn league matches. If a game remains level after 90 minutes, it will go directly to a penalty shootout.

Under the new 3-2-1 points system, a team winning in normal time receives three points. If a match is decided on penalties, the winning team gets two points while the losing team receives one.

However, knockout matches will continue to follow the traditional format of extra time followed by penalties if required, Super League Kerala Technical Manager Sujan Suku clarified.