College Sports League – 2025

The College Sports League Kerala (CSLK) 2025 is India’s first-ever state-wide sports league centred on higher education institutions. Organized by the Sports Kerala Foundation alongside the Directorate of Sports and Youth Affairs and the Department of Higher Education, the pilot edition focused on football to revitalize campus athletics and integrate them with academics.

The tournament featured 16 colleges from across the state. The league stage was held from July 17 to 24, 2025, at the University of Calicut. Following weather-related interruptions and a period of state mourning, the high-intensity Super League concluded between August 12 and 14, 2025. M.A. College, Kothamangalam (Mar Athanasius Football Academy) emerged as the inaugural champions, followed by Zamorins Guruvayoorappan College as runners-up. MES KVM College and Maharaja’s College secured third and fourth places, respectively.

A unique aspect of CSLK is the student-driven College Sports Club (CSC) model. These clubs task students with managing logistics, sponsorship, and marketing, fostering leadership and professional skills. The league also serves as a professional bridge; the pilot edition saw scouts from Super League Kerala identifying talent and secured partnerships with brands like Nivia Sports and Red FM. Furthermore, it promoted the social message of the government's “Say No to Drugs” campaign.

The league's roadmap includes expanding to sports like cricket, basketball, and kabaddi. The ultimate vision is to create a self-sustaining ecosystem that identifies talent capable of representing India on global stages, including the 2036 Olympics. By providing a professional-level platform, CSLK 2025 aims to curb the trend of students drifting away from sports after school and redefine Kerala’s sporting future.