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 TeamCity1CalicutKozhikode2EMEA CollegeKondotty3Golden ThreadsKochi4Gokulam Kerala B Kozhikode5Inter KeralaKothamangalam6Kerala Blasters B Kochi7Kerala PoliceTrivandrum8Kerala UnitedThrissur9KSEBTrivandrum10KovalamKovalam11PFC KeralaParappur12Real MalabarKondotty13SAI CentreKollam14Wayanad UnitedKalpetta
Number of teams by region No. of teamsDistrictsTeam(s)3ErnakulamGolden Threads FC, Inter Kerala FC, Kerala Blasters BTrivandrumKerala Police, Kovalam FC, KSEB2Malappuram EMEA College, Real Malabar FC KozhikodeCalicut, Gokulam Kerala BThrissurKerala United FC, PFC Kerala1WayanadWayanad United FC KollamSAI Centre
Sponsorship 2013–15, 2018–21: Ramco 2015–16: Dentcare Dental Lab 2016–17: Cochin Shipyard 2017–18: ICL Fincorp 2022–24: Scoreline, Elite
Team statistics +TeamWinnersRunners-upSBI Kerala6 5Gokulam Kerala B33KSEB22FC Kochin2 1Kerala United FC/Quartz FC21Viva Kerala FC10Eagles10Indian Navy FC10Kerala Blasters B10Golden Threads FC10Muthoot FA10Trivandrum Titanium FC02Central Excise Club02Kerala Police02FC Thrissur01SAT01Calicut01
Championship summary Season Champions Runners-up Ref1998–99FC KochinSBT1999–20002000–01SBTTrivandrum Titanium FC2001–02League cancelled2002–032003–04SBTFC Kochin2004–05KSEBSBT2005–06Viva Kerala FC2006–07SBTCentral Excise Club2007–08Trivandrum Titanium FC2009–2013League not held2013–14Eagles F.C.SBT2014–15SBTKerala Police2015–16Central Excise Club2016–17KSEBFC Thrissur 2017–18Gokulam Kerala BQuartz FCKerala Premier League 2017–18 Final Kerala Football Association. Retrieved 27 February 2021 2018–19Indian Navy FCGokulam Kerala B2019–20Kerala Blasters B2020–21Gokulam Kerala B KSEB2021–22Golden Threads FC2022–23Kerala United FCGokulam Kerala B 2023–24SAT2024–25Muthoot FAKerala Police2025–26Gokulam Kerala B (3)Calicut
Top scorers SeasonTop scorerTeamGoals2015–16 AskarCentral Excise Cochin62016–17 Firos Kalathingal Kerala Police72017–18 Emmanuel Aidoo Quartz FC122018–19 Vishnu Harry Moris Bipaka Thapa Christian Sabah Shooters United Padne FC Kerala Indian Navy Gokulam Kerala B62019–20 Isahak Nuhu Seidu E. Kamara Golden Threads FC SAT82020–21 Saliou GuindoGokulam Kerala B82021–22 Isahak Nuhu SeiduGolden Threads FC122022–23 Samuel Mensa KonneyGokulam Kerala B102023–24 Salahudheen AdnanMuthoot FA112024–25 Muhammad Ajsal Arjun V Sajeesh EKerala Blasters B KSEB Kerala Police62025–26 Sajeesh EKerala Police8
See also Football in Kerala Kerala State Club Football Championship Malabar Premier League History of Indian football
References