A new national football competition, featuring a grand prize of BD50,000 for the winning team, is set to be held for the first time later this year, the Bahrain Football Association (BFA) announced last night.
The tournament, named the Khalid Bin Hamad Football Cup, will be held under the patronage of Supreme Council for Youth and Sport (SCYS) first deputy chairman, General Sports Authority chairman and Bahrain Olympic Committee president Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa.
It will take place from October 27 to 31, and this first edition of the competition will feature the top four clubs from the 2023-24 season of the Nasser Bin Hamad Bahrain Premier Football League - champions Al Khaldiya, Riffa, Muharraq and Al Ahli.
According to the tournament system, Al Khaldiya will take on Muharraq in one match of the opening stage, slated for October 27, while Riffa and Ahli face off in the other. The winners will qualify for the final on October 31, to decide who will take home the maiden title.
In the case of a tie at the end of 90 minutes in any of the games, the matches will go into extra-time and, if needed, a penalty shootout.
BFA president Shaikh Ali bin Khalifa bin Ahmed Al Khalifa said that this new championship, generously backed by Shaikh Khalid, is a major breakthrough for the national game and is a welcome addition to the season’s schedule.
It will help raise the organisational, technical, and competitive levels of competitions under the banner of the BFA, furthering the development of the sport of football in the kingdom.
These are all a result of the vision and goals of His Majesty King Hamad’s representative for humanitarian work and youth affairs and SCYS chairman Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa, which are based on supporting all Bahrain sports and football, in particular.
Shaikh Ali expressed, on behalf of the Bahrain football family, great pride in holding the new tournament, which will take place during an important period as the kingdom hosts the ISF Gymnasiade Bahrain 2024 between October 23 and 31.
The BFA chief stressed that all efforts will be made to ensure the success of the first edition of the Khalid Bin Hamad Football Cup, in a way that it falls in line with the aspirations of Shaikh Khalid.
In implementation of Shaikh Khalid’s directives, Shaikh Ali confirmed the approved amount of BD50,000 as the total reward for the champions.
Meanwhile, the BFA also unveiled a special logo for the Khalid Bin Hamad Football Cup.
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