{{Short description|Indian association football club based in Kerala}} {{More citations needed|date=August 2021}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2022}} {{Use Indian English|date=August 2022}} {{Infobox football club | clubname = Kovalam | fullname = Kovalam Football Club | image = Kovalam Football Club.svg | upright = 0.9 | founded = {{start date and age|2008}} | ground = M. V. Higher Secondary School Ground | capacity = | owner = Thayil Mathew <br/> Ebin Rose | mgrtitle = Head coach | manager = Rajesh Mohanan | league = Kerala Premier League | season = | position = | current = | pattern_la1 = | pattern_b1 = | pattern_ra1 = | pattern_sh1 = | pattern_so1 = | leftarm1 = FFA500 | body1 = FFA500 | rightarm1 = FFA500 | shorts1 = FFA500 | socks1 = FFA500 | pattern_la2 = | pattern_b2 = | pattern_ra2 = | pattern_sh2 = | pattern_so2 = | leftarm2 = 89CFF0 | body2 = 89CFF0 | rightarm2 = 89CFF0 | shorts2 = 89CFF0 | socks2 = 318CE7 | website = }}
'''Kovalam Football Club''' (often abbreviated as '''Kovalam FC''') is an Indian professional football club based on Kovalam, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala.<ref>{{Cite web|date=22 July 2016|title=A platform for promising football prodigies|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/thiruvananthapuram/a-platform-for-promising-football-prodigies/articleshow/53330836.cms|access-date=2021-08-29|newspaper=The Times of India|language=en|archive-date=29 August 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210829113152/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/thiruvananthapuram/a-platform-for-promising-football-prodigies/articleshow/53330836.cms|url-status=live}}</ref> They compete in the Kerala Premier League, the fifth tier of the Indian football league system.
== History ==
Kovalam Football Club was founded in 2008 by Ebin Rose, a former Santhosh Trophy player for Kerala, and PJ Mathew, an ex-army personnel and footballer.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Football in his heart|url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/kochi/2019/aug/26/football-in-his-heart-2024229.html|access-date=2021-08-29|website=The New Indian Express|archive-date=29 August 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210829112758/https://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/kochi/2019/aug/26/football-in-his-heart-2024229.html|url-status=live}}</ref> It holds the unique distinction of being the first club from Kerala to play in the under-16 Youth League.<ref>{{Cite web|title=50 Teams To Participate In U-16 Youth League {{!}} Hero I-League|url=https://i-league.org/50-teams-to-participate-in-u-16-youth-league/|access-date=2021-08-29|language=en-US|archive-date=29 August 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210829113154/https://i-league.org/50-teams-to-participate-in-u-16-youth-league/|url-status=live}}</ref> Their senior side first participated in the 2018–19 KPL.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Kerala Premier League 2018-19 gets the ball rolling with 11 teams {{!}} Goal.com|url=https://www.goal.com/en-in/news/kerala-premier-league-2018-19-kerala-blasters-gokulam-kerala/1webnxgpy0xhk1baozkmy1h1d1|access-date=2021-08-29|website=www.goal.com|archive-date=5 October 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211005122836/https://www.goal.com/en-in/news/kerala-premier-league-2018-19-kerala-blasters-gokulam-kerala/1webnxgpy0xhk1baozkmy1h1d1|url-status=live}}</ref> It is also the first club from the state to have its own football specific stadium and residential academy, located behind the M. V. Higher Secondary School, Arumanoor.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Kerala's Thiruvananthapuram to become a global football hub|url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/thiruvananthapuram/2018/mar/12/keralas-thiruvananthapuram-to-become-a-global-football-hub-1785576.html|access-date=2021-08-29|website=The New Indian Express|archive-date=29 August 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210829113148/https://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/thiruvananthapuram/2018/mar/12/keralas-thiruvananthapuram-to-become-a-global-football-hub-1785576.html|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2014 they were the first Kerala club to receive youth academy accreditation from the AIFF.
== Jersey sponsors == {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;margin-left:1em;float:center" !Period !Sponsor |- |2020–present |Federal Bank |}
== References == {{reflist}}
{{Football in Kerala}}
Category:Football clubs in Kerala Category:Kerala Premier League teams
== External links == * http://kovalamfc.com Official website (archived)