Women's soccer final round from tomorrow

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

The final round of the Citycell National Women's Football Championship kicks off tomorrow at the Bangabandhu National Stadium.

Eight teams split into two groups will play each other with the top two advancing to the semifinals, to be held on February 26.

Group A comprises Bangladesh Ansar, Satkhira, Rajshahi and Narayanganj while Jessore, Bangladesh VDP, Rangamati and Khulna play in the Group B.

Earlier a total of 25 district teams, divided into four zones, played in the preliminary round from where zonal champions and runners-up qualified for the finals.

"To make the championship competitive, we have kept two zonal champions and as many zonal runners-up in a group and the other group follows the same format," said Sirajul Islam Bachchu, chairman of the Bangladesh Football Committee (BFF) Women's Committee, at a press conference yesterday.

The champions will get Tk 40,000 while runners-up receive Tk 20,000. The losing semifinalists will also be awarded Tk 5,000 each.

State Minister for Youth and Sports Ahad Ali Sarker will declare the meet open with Bangladesh Ansar taking on Rajshahi in the first match.

The BFF also plans to hold the National Women's Super Championship with the top four teams in the national women's championship fighting it out.

To promote the women's game at district level, the BFF is also considering holding the Super Championship matches on home-and-away basis and arranging a few matches at neutral venues.