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The I-League 2023-24 season kicks off on Saturday, quite poetically, with one game in the league’s northernmost tip, Kashmir, and another later at the southernmost corner, Kerala.

Real Kashmir and Gokulam Kerala FC being the hosts of this edition of the I-League, both carry a legacy of dominance and top-class performance, and when it comes to playing in the home ground, it serves as the fort unbreachable.

With some fresh faces to watch out for, the eyes will be more on veterans who will look out to make a mark in the tournament and climb to the higher echelons of the game.

Real Kashmir vs Rajasthan United FC

Although Real Kashmir's matchup with Rajasthan United appears to be a replay of a match that was part of the last round of fixtures for the previous season, a lot has happened in the seven months that have passed. 

Real Kashmir will be managed by local great, Ishaq Ahmad whose recent outing saw India winning the SAFF Championships in Bhutan.

With some young talents being signed by Real Kashmir some exciting local faces will be making their debut sooner or later in the league.

“It’s a completely new squad, and even the coaching staff is new. In one of my first conversations with the owner, it became clear that he was interested in giving more opportunities to local players,” Ahmad said on the eve of the fixture. 

“He wanted to give them a platform which they lack and I completely agree, it’s a great idea. That said, we have a good mix of foreign players, local players, and others from across the country.”

With promotion to the Indian Super League up for grabs, every side’s ambitions have undoubtedly received a bigger boost than ever before. Without putting too much emphasis on it, Ahmad did insinuate that the extra incentive would be good for the league itself.

“Obviously, it’s a big thing, and we want to challenge for that top spot, but I prefer to look at things week by week, game by game. We do this one first, then move ahead,” said Ahmad.

Pushpender Kundu, being one of the only two Indian managers retained by their clubs from last season will be marshalling Rajasthan United FC. Lacking squad depth and signing inexperienced players, Rajasthan United FC carries the burden of chokers with their average performance, and finishing mid of the points table in the 2022 season.

The signings of Army men Bhabindra Malla Thakuri in goal and Ronaldo Singh in midfield will add more muscle to the team itself. Hardik Bhatt’s return from a Mumbai City sojourn will undoubtedly prove beneficial for the player and the club too.

“We’ve had a solid, long pre-season, and I’m happy with the time we’ve spent doing the hard work. If you do that, then the game itself is a reward,” said Kundu.

“We’re away from home and it’s the first game of the season. Obviously, we want to win, but I also want the team to gel, to play like they’ve been training, and to show some good character on the pitch. We have a long road ahead, the league is a marathon, not a sprint.”

Gokulam Kerala vs FC vs. Inter Kashi FC

Gokulam Kerala FC is the team that most likely feels the most burned out after the previous season's outcomes. The club, champions who had defended their championship, crumbled when the chips were down. To top it all off, they were defeated by Odisha FC in the AFC Club Playoffs at their home field of Kozhikode, which cost them a ticket to the AFC Cup.

Domingo Oramas has been named the club's new manager, and it may be necessary for the Spaniard to have an immediate impact in his first game in command.

“We’ve had a long pre-season; I’d say it was almost like two pre-seasons. The club’s ambitions are obviously to seek promotion, but we have to focus game by game to achieve it. We have a strong squad,r but I want them to not think about the long-term goal but go game by game,” said Domingo Oramas.

It is unclear how the management persuaded Anas Edathodika, a former India international, to come out of retirement and return, but his experience will undoubtedly help a team that scored more than a dozen goals last season—many of which came towards the end of the campaign.

The game will also see two Spanish coaches face off against each other, Carlos Santamarina, head coach of Inter Kashi FC for a while has kept the dialogue within and outside the club to a minimum, focusing instead on the game at hand. 

“Starting against Gokulam is hard, but a lot of the players have tremendous experience and I believe in them and their ability to pull through,” said Carlos Santamarina.

“It’s a huge challenge when you start a team from zero, but I think we have built a strong squad with a lot of quality. We’ve been working hard for almost two months for the season, and we are very excited to get it kicking off.”

Big names like Peter Hartley, formerly of Jamshedpur FC, India internationals Jackichand Singh and Sumeet Passi, young prospects Beyong Kojum and Nikum Gyamar as well as stalwart Arindam Bhattacharya are the new names that have been signed by Interkashi FC.