Kozhikode, June 15 (IANS): Founder-Chairman of IBS Software Services, V.K. Mathews, on Saturday launched the Calicut Football Club (CFC) that will compete in the Super League Kerala (SLK), an upcoming men's franchise football league being organised by the Kerala Football Association (KFA) and the Unifed Football Sports Development Pvt. Ltd.

Mathews released the official logo of the club on Saturday in the presence of Kozhikode Congress MP M.K. Raghavan and KFA President Navas Meeran.

Calling Kozhikode district the epicentre of football in the state, Mathews said, "Several Keralites represented India in the past and we need to regain our past glory. We hope to achieve this by providing international exposure to the budding talents in the state. And there is no better way to start this than by having a professional football team for Kozhikode. We must emerge as a dominant power in all fields, including football.”

SLK will be conducted along the same lines as the Indian Super League (ISL), the premier football league in the country.

Six teams from different districts will participate in the inaugural edition of SLK starting September 1 in Kochi. Thirty matches will be played in the preliminary rounds in home and away format. The top four teams will advance to the play-off stage.

The Calicut Football Club will comprise 25 players, including 12 from Kerala, six overseas, and seven players from other states. The Kozhikode Municipal Corporation Stadium will be the club's home ground.

“SLK and Calicut Football Club will also contribute to the empowerment of the youth by providing them opportunities to develop into outstanding citizens,” Mathews said.