Dhaka Mohammedan Sporting Club Limited will play Solid FC of Sri Lanka in the opening match of the eight-team five-nation Sheikh Kamal International Club Cup Football Tournament’2015 beginning on October 20 at the MA Aziz Stadium in the port city of Chittagong.
Grouping and fixture of the International Club Cup Football, first of its kind in Chittagong, named after founder of Abahani KC and the eldest son of the father of the nation Bangabadhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, was finalized at a ceremonial draw and logo unveiling ceremony at a local hotel on Monday.
Kolkata Mohammedan will play De Spinghar Bazan Club of Afghanistan on Tuesday (Oct 20) in the other opening day’s fixture of the tournament,
organized by Chittagong Abahani Limited with the support of Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF).
Leading soccer clubs of South Asia, most of which are the league champions, along side three crowd-pulling teams of hosts Bangladesh, will compete in the AFC approved (International Tier-2) tournament scheduled for Oct 20-30. ,
SAFF and BFF President Kazi Mohammad Salahuddin and Chittagong City Corporation Mayor AJM Nasiruddin, who is also the chairman of the Tournament Committee, unveiled the tournament’s logo at a colourful ceremony at Westin Hotel in the capital Monday afternoon.
Addressing the function, the BFF chief said, “We are ready to give our all out support for the success of the tournament, and want to turn the Sheikh Kamal Int’l Club Cup as the tournament of the nation”.
Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Youth and Sports Ministry Zahid Ahsan Russell MP, general secretary of the hosts Chittagong Abahani Limited Alhaj Shamsul Haque Chowdhury MP and Chief Co-Ordinator of Tournament Tarafder Ruhul Amin also spoke on the occasion.
President of Chittagong Abahani Limited MA Latif MP, BFF Senior Vice President Abdus Salam Murshedy, BFF Vice President Kazi Nabil Ahmed MP and the Managing Director of the meet’s media partner Channel 9 Enayetur Rahman, among others were also present. ,
On the following day, Dhaka Abahani Limited will encounter hosts Chittagong Abahani Limited in the afternoon while Kolkata East Bengal Club will face Karachi Electric Football Club of Pakistan in the evening.
Grouping of the tournament was finalized at the same function through a ceremonial draw.
Dhaka Mohammedan SC, Kolkata Mohammedan SC, De Spinghar Bazan Club (Afghanistan) and Solid FC of Sri Lanka put in Group A while Dhaka Abahani Ltd, Kolkata Kingfisher East Bengal Club, Karachi Electric Football Club (Pakistan) and Chittagong Abahani Ltd was placed in Group B
On completion of the first round league basis group matches, top two teams from each of the group, will play in the semifinals.
The champion team will get prize money of US dollar 25,000, runners-up team US dollar 10,000 and the all participating will get appearance money of Tk 5 lakh each.
Soccer fans who will buy tickets of the tournament will be awarded with a motor cycle every day through a lottery. The rate of VIP ticket will be Tk 500 while the gallery ticket Tk 50 only except the final match.
Prior to the tournament start, a colorful opening ceremony, featuring a grand cultural show and fireworks, will be held on October 19 to attract the football fans and sports lovers.
Participating teams will get both-way international and local air fares, accommodation and local transports during the meet.
