Kerala Premier League

Kerala Premier League
Organising bodyKerala Football Association
Founded1998; 28 years ago (1998) (as Kerala Football League)
CountryIndia
Number of clubs14
Level on pyramid5
Promotion toI-League 3
Relegation toKerala Premier League Second Division
Current championsGokulam Kerala B (3rd title)
Most championshipsSBT Thiruvananthapuram (6 titles)
BroadcasterSports Reporter(YouTube)
Current: 2025–26

The Kerala Premier League is the highest state-level football league organized by the Kerala Football Association and played in the state of Kerala, India. It is the overall fifth tier of the Indian football league system. For sponsorship reasons it is officially known as the Elite Kerala Premier League. Founded in 1998, the Kerala Football League was the first football league in Kerala, and got rebranded in 2013 as the KPL. Gokulam Kerala FC Reserves is the current champion.

History

Kerala Football League

After the introduction of the National Football League by the All India Football Federation, the Kerala Football Association started its Kerala Football League (KFL) in 1998. The team finishing top was nominated to 2nd division of the National Football League.

1998 season

FC Kochin was crowned the inaugural champion. SBT finished in second place.

1999 season

The second edition of Kerala Football League was held in Kochi and Kollam in December 1999. FC Kochin retained the tille, and SBT FC become the runners up.

2007 season

SBT FC won the title, and Central Excise Kochi become the runners up.

Format

The league features teams from the state of Kerala affiliated with the KFA. The top four teams from each group qualify for the final round. A women's league started in the 2014–15 season with 8 teams.

Teams (2026)

Teams and locations

KFA

Team City
1 Calicut Kozhikode
2 EMEA College Kondotty
3 Golden Threads Kochi
4 Gokulam Kerala B Kozhikode
5 Inter Kerala Kothamangalam
6 Kerala Blasters B Kochi
7 Kerala Police Trivandrum
8 Kerala United Thrissur
9 KSEB Trivandrum
10 Kovalam Kovalam
11 PFC Kerala Parappur
12 Real Malabar Kondotty
13 SAI Centre Kollam
14 Wayanad United Kalpetta

Number of teams by region

No. of teams Districts Team(s)
3 ErnakulamGolden Threads FC, Inter Kerala FC, Kerala Blasters B
TrivandrumKerala Police, Kovalam FC, KSEB
2 MalappuramEMEA College, Real Malabar FC
KozhikodeCalicut, Gokulam Kerala B
ThrissurKerala United FC, PFC Kerala
1 WayanadWayanad United FC
KollamSAI Centre

Sponsorship

Team statistics

Team Winners Runners-up
SBI Kerala 6 5
Gokulam Kerala B 3 3
KSEB 2 2
FC Kochin 2 1
Kerala United FC/Quartz FC 2 1
Viva Kerala FC 1 0
Eagles 1 0
Indian Navy FC 1 0
Kerala Blasters B 1 0
Golden Threads FC 1 0
Muthoot FA 1 0
Trivandrum Titanium FC 0 2
Central Excise Club 0 2
Kerala Police 0 2
FC Thrissur 0 1
SAT 0 1
Calicut 0 1

Championship summary

SeasonChampionsRunners-upRef
1998–99 FC Kochin SBT
1999–2000
2000–01 SBT Trivandrum Titanium FC
2001–02 League cancelled
2002–03
2003–04 SBT FC Kochin
2004–05 KSEB SBT
2005–06 Viva Kerala FC
2006–07 SBT Central Excise Club
2007–08 Trivandrum Titanium FC
2009–2013 League not held
2013–14 Eagles F.C. SBT
2014–15 SBT Kerala Police
2015–16 Central Excise Club
2016–17 KSEB FC Thrissur

2017–18

 Gokulam Kerala B Quartz FC
2018–19 Indian Navy FC Gokulam Kerala B
2019–20 Kerala Blasters B
2020–21 Gokulam Kerala B KSEB
2021–22 Golden Threads FC
2022–23 Kerala United FC Gokulam Kerala B
2023–24 SAT
2024–25 Muthoot FA Kerala Police
2025–26 Gokulam Kerala B (3) Calicut

Top scorers

Season Top scorer Team Goals
2015–16 India Askar Central Excise Cochin 6
2016–17 India Firos Kalathingal Kerala Police 7
2017–18 Ghana Emmanuel Aidoo Quartz FC 12
2018–19 India Vishnu
Liberia Harry Moris
India Bipaka Thapa
Ghana Christian Sabah		 Shooters United Padne
FC Kerala
Indian Navy
Gokulam Kerala B		 6
2019–20 Ghana Isahak Nuhu Seidu
Senegal E. Kamara		 Golden Threads FC
SAT		 8
2020–21 Mali Saliou Guindo Gokulam Kerala B 8
2021–22 Ghana Isahak Nuhu Seidu Golden Threads FC 12
2022–23 Ghana Samuel Mensa Konney Gokulam Kerala B 10
2023–24 India Salahudheen Adnan Muthoot FA 11
2024–25 India Muhammad Ajsal
India Arjun V
India Sajeesh E		 Kerala Blasters B
KSEB
Kerala Police		 6
2025–26 India Sajeesh E Kerala Police 8

See also

References

  1. ↑ https://youtube.com/@sportsreporterlive?si=SIuH9simjd2r5Nsr
  2. ↑ Staff (5 April 2006). "1999 season Kerala Football League". Archived from the original on 22 October 2019. Retrieved 21 March 2023.
  3. ↑ Staff (5 April 2006). "2007 season Kerala Football League". Archived from the original on 10 July 2020. Retrieved 21 March 2023.
  4. ↑ "Kerala U-21 Football Team aims for Santosh Trophy as Kerala Premier League kicks off". thenewsminute.com. 18 April 2016. Archived from the original on 22 May 2016. Retrieved 22 May 2016.
  5. ↑ "Crippled but Trudging Along..." newindianexpress.com. 1 July 2015. Archived from the original on 22 May 2016. Retrieved 22 May 2016.
  6. ↑ "KFA Announces Kerala Premier League". Football News India. Archived from the original on 17 May 2014. Retrieved 16 May 2014.
  7. ↑ Correspondant, Special (5 April 2017). "Kerala Premier League to kick off on April 8". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 11 October 2022. Retrieved 8 April 2017.
  8. ↑ Rayan, Stan (4 April 2018). "Lack of funds forces KSEB to pull out of KPL". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 11 October 2022. Retrieved 21 April 2018.
  9. ↑ "WELCOME TO FOOTBALL CLUB KOCHIN — Success Stories". fckochin.in. Archived from the original on 10 August 2022. Retrieved 30 November 2020.
  10. ↑ Staff (5 April 2006). "Top six teams for Kerala Football League". www.oneindia.com. Archived from the original on 21 March 2023. Retrieved 5 September 2021.
  11. ↑ Staff (5 May 2007). "SBT enters Kerala Football League final". www.mykhel.com. Archived from the original on 21 March 2023. Retrieved 5 September 2021.
  12. ↑ Kerala Premier League 2017–18 Final Archived 22 October 2021 at the Wayback Machine Kerala Football Association. Retrieved 27 February 2021
  13. ↑ "KPL: Golden Threads emerge champions". OnManorama. Archived from the original on 19 August 2022. Retrieved 19 August 2022.
  14. ↑ "Kerala Premier League: Kerala United crowned champions". Wayanad. 19 March 2023. Archived from the original on 20 March 2023. Retrieved 19 March 2023.
  15. ↑ "Kerala United retain KPL crown with three goals in injury time". Kannur: ON Manorama News. 11 February 2024. Archived from the original on 12 February 2024. Retrieved 12 February 2024.
  16. ↑ "Muthoot FA emerge Kerala Premier League champions". Muthoot FA emerge Kerala Premier League champions. Retrieved 7 June 2025.
  17. ↑ "Gokulam beats Calicut FC to win Kerala Premier League". thehindu. Retrieved 31 May 2026.