BY SANDHYA DISSANAYAKE, ATTORNEY-AT-LAW
The two premier competitions in Sri Lanka’s football calendar — the professional Super League Championship and the Inter-Club FA Cup Tournament — are scheduled to commence next month, according to Sri Lanka Football Federation President Jaswar Umar.
Speaking at a media briefing held yesterday at Football House, Umar confirmed that the Super League Championship will kick off on the 12th of next month and continue until November 15. Meanwhile, financial grants will be distributed to 65 football leagues during the Football Federation’s Annual General Meeting, set to take place in Nuwara Eliya on the 6th of next month, in preparation for the launch of the FA Cup tournament.
Umar stated that the Football Federation has now provided a strong response to critics who claimed that domestic football competitions had not been conducted consistently in recent years.
A total of 10 leading football clubs have been selected for participation in the Super League. However, all participating clubs are required to officially register as independent professional entities and obtain club licenses in line with federation regulations.
At present, three prominent Colombo-based clubs have yet to submit the required licensing criteria. As a result, the federation granted them until midnight yesterday to complete the necessary documentation.
Umar further emphasized that any club failing to meet the licensing requirements would be excluded, and the Super League would proceed with the remaining qualified teams.
“Some people claim that no domestic tournaments have been held for years. That is not true. We conducted several competitions, including completing the Super League that was interrupted due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It is not practical to organize multiple tournaments simultaneously. We also conducted provincial competitions and staged 85 Champions League matches. Domestic football must be managed through a proper system,” Umar explained.
He also pointed out the significant financial burden carried by the Football Federation in supporting local clubs.
“We spend a large amount of money to organize competitions for clubs. No other country in the world financially supports clubs in this manner. Clubs should secure sponsorships and generate their own revenue,” he added.
The Football Federation has introduced 22 licensing criteria for clubs, and so far, seven clubs have successfully fulfilled all requirements and qualified for official club licenses. Only clubs meeting these standards will be eligible to compete in the Super League.
The last edition of the tournament concluded in 2022 and featured teams including Renown SC, Colombo FC, Ratnam SC, New Youngs SC, Blue Star SC, Sea Hawks Navy, Blue Eagles Air Force, Defenders Army, Upcountry Lions, and Red Star Beruwala.
Kalutara Blue Star emerged champions, claiming a cash prize of Rs. 5 million. Navy SC and Colombo FC finished as joint runners-up, each receiving Rs. 3.5 million. Prize money was awarded to all participating teams, while the team finishing in 10th place received Rs. 1 million.
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