BFF defers BPL football schedule for second time
The 13-team Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) Football 2019-20, organised by Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) will begin on 13 February, reports news agency UNB.
The decision was taken at a meeting of the BFF Professional Football League Committee (PFLC) at its Board Room on Wednesday with committee chairman Abdus Salam Murshedy, MP in the chair.
The 13th edition of the country’s top league was scheduled to start on 1 January, as was decided by the committee on 26 August 2019. But it was deferred to 30 January due to Bangabandhu Gold Cup International Football Tournament.
The date was again shifted to 30 January as several participating clubs appealed for it and Dhaka Abahani Limited's participation in the AFC Cup Football and for the upcoming Dhaka City Corporation elections, the UNB report added.
Abahani will play their home match of AFC Cup Football competition in Dhaka on 5 February and the away match in Maldives on 12 February.
According to new schedule, holders Bashundhara Kings will face Uttar Baridhara Club in the opening match on 13 February at Sheikh Kamal Stadium in Nilphamari.
In the ensuing league, five foreign players including one from Asian country will be entitled to register in a team and maximum four booters will entitled to play for a team in a match.
The league matches will be held at seven venues across the country. The venues are -- Bangabandhu National Stadium in Dhaka, Sheikh Kamal Stadium in Nilphamari, Sylhet District Stadium, Rafiquddin Bhuiyan Stadium in Mymensingh, Sheikh Fazlul Haque Moni Stadium in Gopalganj, MA Aziz Stadium in Chattogram and Shaheed Direndranath Stadium in Cumilla.
Seven participating clubs are -- Dhaka Abahani Ltd, Sheikh Jamal DC, Brothers Union, Rahmatganj MFS, Arambagh KS, Police FC and Uttar Baridhara Club.
Uttar Baridhara Club has chosen Bangladesh National Stadium as their home venue while Saif SC opted Mymensingh, Bashundahra Kings chose Nilphamari, Dhaka Mohamemdan opted Cumilla, Sheikh Russel KC preferred Sylhet, Chattogram Abahani chose MA Aziz Stadium and Muktijoddha Sangsad KC chose Sheikh Fazlul Haque Moni Stadium in Gopalganj.