Faraaz Gold Cup Inter-University Football begins Wednesday
The 20-team Shahjalal Islami Bank Faraaz Gold Cup Inter-University Football Tournament' 2018, is set to begin at the Bangabandhu National Stadium in the capital on Wednesday.
State minister for youth and sports Biren Sikder will inaugurate the tournament at 4:30pm Wednesday, reports UNB.
Fareast University will play ULAB in the inaugural match at the national stadium at 4:30pm although two matches will be held in the morning at Kamalapur Stadium with State University taking on Independent University (IUB) at 8:00am and Bangladesh University facing Atish Dipankar University at 9:30pm.
Deputy minister for youth and sports Arif Khan Joy, secretary M Asadul Islam, Faraaz Hossain's elder brother Zaraif Ayaat Hossain and chairman of the meet's sponsor Shahjalal Islami Bank Ltd Akkas Uddin Mollah will also attend the programme.
Youth and sports secretary of the ruling Bangladesh Awami League (AL) Harun-ur-Rashid disclosed the details of the tournament at a press conference at NSC Tower on Tuesday.
Additional managing director of Shahjalal Islami Bank M Shahidul Islam, national sports award winner Golam Sarwar Tipu, BFF vice president and national sports award winner Badal Roy, Zaraif Ayaat Hossain, national sports award winners Hasanuzzaman Khan Bablu and Sheikh Mohammad Aslam also spoke on the occasion.
Twenty private university teams, split into eight groups, will initially participate in the first phase of the meet, organised by former footballers organisation "Sonali Otit Club" named after 20-year old student Faraaz Ayaaz Hossain, a victim of terrorist attack in Holey Artisan Bakery in Gulshan.
Participating teams are:
Group 1: State University, Presidency University and Independent University (IUB)
Group 2: Daffodil University and BUBT
Group 3: Bangladesh University, Atish Dipankar University and Shanto-Mariam University
Group 4: Uttara University, East West University and Southern University
Group 5: Prime University and City University
Group 6: Northern University and Gono Bishwabidyalay.
Group 7: BRAC University and IUBAT
Group 8: ULAB, Fareast University and South East University.
On completion of first phase matches on 29 July, the Round-16 matches will be held on 30-31 July, quarter-finals on 2 August, semi-finals on 3 July and the final match on 5 August.
The champion team will be awarded with a prize money of Tk 200,000 and runner-up team will get Tk 100,000 in addition to trophies.
Highest scorer, best player and best goal-keeper of the tournament will also be awarded.
In the first Inter-Private University Football Tournament in 2017 (The Faraaz Challenge Cup), Green University emerged unbeaten champions beating Fareast University by 2-0 goals in the final at Kamalapur Stadium in July last year.