Mahindra Group, a corporate entity with diversified businesses, will be Kerala Super League football's title sponsor beginning September 7. Henceforth, the event will be known as Mahindra Super League Kerala (MSLK).

Speaking to reporters in Kochi on Wednesday MSLK Director Feroz Meeran sought the cooperation of all sections of the society for successfully holding the first professional football league in Kerala. The inaugural match will be held on September 7 at 7.30 PM at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Kochi. The first match will be between Forca Kochi FC and Malappuram FC. The four other teams in the fray are Thiruvananthapuram Kombans FC, Kannur Warriors FC, Calicut FC, and Thrissur FC.

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A cultural extravaganza curated and presented by leading performers from the country will precede the inaugural match. The first edition of the MSLK will see 33 football matches involving six franchises across six venues in the state. The matches will be played at Kochi, Thiruvananthapuram, Calicut, and Malappuram.

According to Firoz Meeran Mahindra Super League Kerala will set a new benchmark in Indian football by providing young talents with unprecedented opportunities. 'The league will be a game-changer for Kerala and the country'

Mathew Joseph CEO of MSLK said the matches will be telecasted through Star Sports1 while internet access is through Hotstar and Disney. 'Negotiations for broadcast rights in the Middle East region are in an advanced stage', he added.

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A charity match will be held between Mohammedan Sporting Club and SLK Top 11 to raise funds for the Wayanad Relief on September 30 at Manjeri in Malappuram district. The proceeds from the charity match will be presented to the Chief Ministers Relief Fund.

The winning team will get a prize of INR 1 crore and the runner-up INR 50 lakhs. The organizers also announced a cash award of INR 1 lakh and INR 50,000 for the best media coverage of the football matches.

Kerala Football Association president Navas Meeran said the Super League will provide a good opportunity to develop football infrastructure with world-class stadiums and training facilities. The young players from Kerala will have the opportunity to play with foreign players, he said.