Calicut FC

Calicut
Full nameCalicut Football Club
NicknameThe Beacons
Short nameCFC
FoundedMay 2024 (May 2024)
GroundEMS Stadium
Capacity50,000
Owner(s)Futurepoint Sports and Entertainment PVT.LTD
ChairmanVK Mathews
Head coachEver Demaldé
LeagueSuper League Kerala
Kerala Premier League[1]
Websitecalicutfootballclub.com

Calicut Football Club is an Indian professional football club based in the city of Kozhikode, Kerala, that competes in the Super League Kerala and the Kerala Premier League. The club was founded in May 2024.[2][3]

Under coach Ian Gillan , Calicut hosted and draw the first match of the SLK. They won the 2024 Super League Kerala, beating Forca Kochi FC 2–1 in the final.

Stadium

EMS Stadium, located in the heart of Calicut, is used as home ground of Calicut FC

Performance

Season 1 (2024)

In the inaugural 2024 season of the Super League Kerala, Calicut FC emerged as one of the most dominant and tactically disciplined teams in the competition. Ahead of the season, the club strengthened their core by signing Kervens Belfort, the Haitian international forward with Indian Super League experience,[4] Abdul Hakku Nediyodath, a seasoned centre-back who brought defensive stability, and Gani Nigam, a creative midfielder who dictated play from the middle of the park.

Calicut finished the league stage with five wins, four draws, and one loss, securing a table-top finish and a place in the semifinals. They went on to defeat Thiruvananthapuram Kombans 2–1 in a closely contested semifinal[5] before overcoming Forca Kochi FC 2–1 in the final to lift the Super League Kerala 2024 title.[6] Kervens Belfort finished as the top scorer of the tournament with four goals, including a decisive strike in the final, cementing his reputation as the attacking spearhead of Calicut’s title-winning campaign.

Supporters

Kerala is a state known for its passionate football fans. [7] " Beacons" is the supporters' group of Calicut FC. For a first in the sports history of India, Calicut Football Club (CFC) launched “Lady Beacons”, an exclusive Women’s Supporter Group (WSG) which will cheer the club from the stands in a unified voice, signalling a major shift in their stadium participation.The initiative, unveiled in Kozhikode, is intended to build an inclusive and empowering community of women who support Calicut FC, while celebrating the region’s rich football heritage and progressive spirit.[8]

Players

First-team squad

As of 7 March 2026

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
3 DF  IND Henry Joseph
6 DF  IND Sachin Dev
7 FW  IND Muhammed Roshal
8 MF  IND Lalremruata
9 FW  IND Junain Kadavalath
11 FW  IND Gani Nigam
12 MF  IND Muhammed Rashid
13 GK  IND Bishorjit Singh
14 MF  IND Arun Kumar
15 MF  IND Arjun Jayaraj
17 FW  IND Ajith KR
19 FW  IND Rifhath Ramzan
21 FW  IND Muhammed Sanaf
24 DF  IND Muhammed Aslam
No. Pos. Nation Player
25 DF  IND Cirin Varghese
30 FW  IND Adam David
31 DF  IND Manoj M
77 FW  IND Rahul Venu
80 MF  IND Ajad Shaheem
96 GK  IND Muhammed Anas
99 DF  IND Sandeep S
GK  IND Aalok Tishrei Mathew
GK  IND Parthiv KM
DF  IND Ningthoujam Lanchenba
MF  IND Abu Swalih
FW  IND Hasir V

Other Players Under Contract

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
6 DF  IND Ajay Alex
8 FW  IND Aniket Jadhav
12 DF  IND Mohamed Salim
13 GK  IND Aman Sahni
17 FW  IND Vishak Mohanan
18 DF  IND Muhammed Riyas
19 FW  IND Mohammed Ashique
23 GK  IND Muhammed Niyas
43 GK  IND Sharon P

Personnel

As of 20 August 2025

Current technical staff

Position Name
Head coach Ever Demaldé[9]
Assistant coach Biby Thomas
Goalkeeping coach Nelson MV
Strength & conditioning coach Abhijith AP
Physio Sayyid Ahammed Nasal Gifri PK
Performance Analyst Abhinadan Mohanta
Masseur Bijesh P

Management

Position Name
Chief executive officer Korath Mathew
Club Secretary Bino Jose Eapen
Team manager Said Ibnu Haris
Kit manager Rahul A S

Managerial history

Head coach's record

As of 14 December 2025
Name Nationality From To P W D L GF GA Win% Ref.
Ian Gillan  Australia 30 July 2024 8 March 2025 12 7 4 1 22 11 058.33 [10]
Ever Demaldé  Argentina 20 August 2025 11 7 2 2 21 12 063.64

Statistics and records

As of 10 November 2024[1]

Most appearances

Rank Player appearances
1 Richard Osei 21
2 Muhammed Riyas 20
3 Mohammed Arshaf 18
4 Thoi Singh Khangebam 11
Muhammad Ajsal
Federico Boasso
7 Gani Nigam 10
Ernest Barfo
Vishal Joon
Alexis Sosa
Nahuel Pereyra
Hajmal Sakeer
Mohammed Asif Khan

Top scorers

Rank Player Goals
1 Muhammad Ajsal 7
2 Kervens Belfort 5
3 Gani Nigam 4
4 Muhammed Riyas 3
Sebastián Rincón
Prasanth Mohan
7 Britto P. M. 2
John Kennedy
Richard Osei
Federico Boasso

Honours

See also

References

  1. ^ https://www.onmanorama.com/sports/football/2026/02/19/slk-calicut-fc-to-compete-kerala-premier-league.amp.html
  2. ^ "Super League Kerala: Franchisees of inaugural edition announced". Deccan Herald. 12 May 2024. Retrieved 28 June 2024.
  3. ^ "Mahesh Bhupathi, Travancore princess and former Benfica player among franchise owners in Super League Kerala". The Hindu. 10 May 2024. Retrieved 28 June 2024.
  4. ^ "ബെല്‍ഫോര്‍ട്ട് വീണ്ടും കേരള ഫുട്‌ബോളിലേക്ക്; ഇത്തവണ കാലിക്കറ്റ് എഫ്.സി.യില്‍". @mathrubhumi. 2024-08-19. Retrieved 2025-10-04.
  5. ^ "Super League Kerala: Gani scores winner as Calicut beat Kombans to enter final". Super League Kerala: Gani scores winner as Calicut beat Kombans to enter final. Retrieved 2025-10-04.
  6. ^ "Calicut clinches Super League Kerala title with 2-1 victory over Forca Kochi". @mathrubhumi. 2024-11-10. Retrieved 2025-10-04.
  7. ^ "he paradoxical Indian state where football rivals cricket". Khel Now. 19 May 2017. Retrieved 17 September 2025.
  8. ^ "Calicut FC Launches 'Lady Beacons': India's First Women's Supporter Group in Football". newsexperts. 15 September 2025. Retrieved 17 September 2025.
  9. ^ "ഡെമാൽഡെ കലിക്കറ്റ്‌ കോച്ച്‌" [demalde will be calicut Fc Coach]. deshabhimani.com (in Malayalam). 20 August 2025. Retrieved 20 August 2025.
  10. ^ "Gillan to coach Calicut FC in Super League Kerala". The Times of India. 2024-07-18. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 2024-08-06.
  11. ^ "Calicut edge Forca Kochi, emerge champions of Super League Kerala". onmanorama. 2024-11-10. Retrieved 2024-11-10.