PANJIM: FC Goa will clash in an away match with North East United in their season opener of the Indian Super league Season 3, which is scheduled to begin on October 1, 2016, at Indira Gandhi Stadium, Guwahati.
The opening ceremony of the Indian Super League will be held in Guwahati on October 1, with ISL focus on the region, John Abraham owned club NorthEast United FC would hope it aspire his boys to get a jump start to their campaign when they take on Sachin Tendulkar owned Kerala Blasters FC.
Co-incidently, 2016 would turn out to be the third consecutive opening clash rivalry between John vs Sachin in a row. NorthEast United having won 1-0 in Season 1 at home and losing 1-3 during season 2, at Kochi ground.
This edition of the league will feature 61 games, spread across 79 days and will be played in a home-away league format followed by two-legged semi-finals and the final.
The final is scheduled on December 18, 2016.
In the second match of the season, the inaugural champs ATK and defending champs Chennaiyin FC will clash at ATK’s new home ground Rabindra Sarobar stadium.
Ranbir Kapoor’s Mumbai City FC will play their first match on October 7 against North East United at Andheri Sports Complex.
Though the defending champs will take on Delhi Dynamos in their opener, the bigger match everyone would await with beaten breath could be on October 13 when the Super Machas will have a face-off with FC Goa, at Marina Arena.
Mumbai City FC to play home matches at Andheri Sports Complex
After playing its home games in the first two seasons of Indian Super League at the D Y Patil Stadium in Nerul, Mumbai City FC has decided to shift base and play at its new home venue - in the Western suburb of Andheri, during the upcoming season 3 of the football league.
The club formally announced that the Shahaji Raje Bhosle Kreeda Sankul, known popularly as the Andheri Sports Complex – BKLP, will be their new home stadium for the upcoming season of ISL.
The Complex houses the Mumbai Football Arena which was constructed and developed in accordance with FIFA guidelines earlier this year and will now host Mumbai City FC's home matches come October, said a media release.