Kolkata beat Mumbai as the Indian Super League 2014 kicked off in Kolkata yesterday, October 12, 2014.
The much awaited Indian Super League kicked off with a grand and glamorous opening ceremony held at the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata on October 12, 2014. Celebrities from Cricket and Bollywood attended the ISL event which is aims to put Indian football on the world map. In the opening game, Athletico De Kolkata thrashed Mumbai City FC 3-0.
Bollywood actors Priyanka Chopra and Hrithik Roshan performed at the event. Other team owners, Ranbir Kapoor and Abhishek Kapoor were also present. Other eminent personalities who attended the event included chief minister of West Bengal Mamata Banerjee, Mukesh Ambani, Nita Ambani, Amitabh Bachchan and Sachin Tendulkar.
Indian music maestros including Shivamani, Taufiq Qureshi and Bikram Ghosh performed on an instrumental, which left the audience mesmerised. Priyanka Chopra introduced the eight teams of the Indian Super League. Celebs who co-own teams include Sachin Tendulkar – Kerala Blasters, Sourav Ganguly – Atletico de Kolkata, Ranbir Kapoor – Mumbai City FC, Hrithik Roshan – FC Pune City and Abhishek Bachchan – Chennaiyin FC.
Nita Ambani, the founding chairperson of Football Sports Development opened the tournament, while Amitabh Bachchan, Mamata Banerjee and All India Football Federation President Praful Patel were present at the ceremony. The tournament will come to a close on December 20, 2014.
