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We are gearing up for another exhilarating season of the Indian Super League, with the teams signing new players, extending the contracts of key individuals and even saying goodbye to a few legends.
Owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020-21 season of the ISL is set to take place in Goa as opposed to the traditional dynamic of home and away matches. All teams, except FC Goa, will be bereft of their own facilities and will be training and staying in the state for an extended period of about four months.
Earlier this month, the ISL assigned different training grounds to the teams. Let's have a look at each one of them.
A look at different training grounds assigned to ISL teams
#1 Salvador do Mundo: FC Goa
According to an MOU signed between FC Goa and the Salvador do Mundo village panchayat earlier this year, the ISL club will be training their first-team players at the Salvador do Mundo ground, with a few young players getting a chance to train with established national team and foreign players.
The photo above was clicked last week and the ground is expected to be ready by the third week of October, with floodlights installed and grass expected to grow very soon.
Previously, the Gaurs trained at the GMC Stadium in Bambolim, which will serve as the home ground for Chennaiyin FC, Mumbai City FC, Odisha FC and Kerala Blasters for this season.
#2 Benaulim: ATK Mohun Bagan FC
The new team formed by the merger of the 2019-20 ISL champions and the 2019-20 I-League champions will be training at the beautiful Benaulim Football Ground often used to stage youth-team competitions.
Here is a video made outside the facility since security measures are already in place, and no one is being allowed to enter the ground.
#3 Ella: Bengaluru FC
2018-19 ISL champions Bengaluru FC are the third team alongside FC Goa and ATK Mohun Bagan FC to play their home games at the Fatorda Stadium.
The Blues will be training at the Ella ground often used by Dempo SC as a training ground. The Golden Eagles also play their Goa Professional League matches in this ground.
#4 Utorda: Chennaiyin FC
The newly constructed SAG football ground in Utorda will serve as a training venue for Chennaiyin FC's first team from October 25 till the end of the season. The ground was opened for public use in the latter half of 2016 and has not shown any signs of wear and tear as of now.
#5 Nagoa: Mumbai City FC
The Nagoa Village Panchayat Football Ground will serve as a training facility for Mumbai City FC who have spent big after a disappointing finish outside of the top four in the 2019-20 season of the ISL.
This ground is easily viewable from the highway nearby, and crowds are expected to come and watch the likes of Mandar Rao Dessai, Hugo Boumous and Sergio Lobera train, who are highly beloved by football fans in Goa.
#6 Betalbatim: Odisha FC
Odisha FC will be training at the home ground of Betalbatim Sports Club in South Goa.
The Betalbatim training ground is the closest to Fatorda Stadium, and Odisha FC will be travelling the shortest distances for away ISL games to FC Goa, ATK Mohun Bagan FC and Bengaluru FC.
#7 Peddem: Kerala Blasters FC
Peddem Sports complex, a premier futsal venue in Mapusa, North Goa also has a state-of-the-art outdoor football ground which will be used by the Yellow Army as a training facility for the 2019-20 season of the ISL.
#8 Sangolda: Jamshedpur FC
Jamshedpur FC will be away from the comfort of the excellent facilities provided at the JRD Tata Football Sports Complex and will be training at the Sangolda ground in North Goa for this ISL season.
This ground has been closed in the recent past for some modifications but the FSDL has ensured that it will be ready by the time the team arrives in Goa.
#9 Candolim: NorthEast United FC
NorthEast United FC will be training in the Dr. Gustavo Monteiro football ground in Candolim. The ground was renovated recently and re-inaugurated in April 2019.
The downside of training here is that the ground is a bit shorter in dimension, and the Highlanders could face problems adjusting here.
#10 Guirim: Hyderabad FC
The historic Monte de Guirim football ground was revamped recently, and Hyderabad FC will be training at the excellent facility in the ISL 2020-21 season.
There are rumors that if East Bengal get an entry into this season of the ISL, they will be training at the Navelim Football Ground, with a college football ground in Panjim another alternative option.
