ISL: Opening ceremony to highlight Northeast passion for football

GUWAHATI: The tickets for the opening ceremony and inaugural match of the Indian Super League are now available online and at the Nehru Stadium, Grand Cines Paltan Bazaar, Shillong Sports Association Stadium and at www.bookmyshow.com.
The opening ceremony will be held in Guwahati and is fitting as the football fuelled region eagerly waits to see some entertaining matches.The first match will take place on Saturday and will see the Highlanders take on Kerala Blasters.

Reminiscing on playing at the Indira Gandhi Stadium, India's ace striker Jeje Lalpekhua, says, "I still remember playing the first-ever international match at Indira Gandhi Stadium back in 2011. In the last five years football has really grown in the Northeast region in terms of infrastructure and talent, so it is fitting that this year's ISL opener is being staged in Guwahati."

A number of celebrities, ISL teams and owners will join the NorthEast team and the fans from the region to make the opening match a memorable one.

NorthEast United FC's homeboy, Seityasen Singh, says, "I feel extremely proud that Guwahati is the venue for this year's opening ceremony and I am happy that I shall be able to play on such a huge occasion against a team that also has a huge fan-base like ours."I am also delighted about the fact that the North-East can now draw the attention of the footballing fraternity towards itself via this event in Guwahati. Ever since the ISL has started, it has drawn the eyes of the entire country towards it. I am hopeful that the opening ceremony shall send out a message to everyone concerned about the importance of this region and highlight the importance that it holds in the annals of Indian footballing history."

(Agencies)

Image: NEUFC (Facebook page)