Football Federation of Sri Lanka (FFSL) is planning to conduct a semi-professional football tournament by the end of January with ten teams billed to enter at the Sugathadasa Stadium and Race Course.
The last time a top level football tournament was held was in 2018 which was named as the Championship League. This tournament was contested by 17 club teams that qualified from the inter-club tournament.
“We will limit the number of teams to ten for the semi-pro tournament,” said Anura de Silva the president of the FFSL.
There will be a selection criteria to pick the teams. Each team will be permitted to field foreign players too. Those players with Sri Lankan parents and performing in foreign countries will be eligible to play. But most of these players will be involved in tournaments being conducted in the country they live in.
“These players with Sri Lankan connection will be selected to strengthen the national team when Sri Lanka is billed to play in international tournaments,” said De Silva.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Sports has offered a seven acre bare land in Diyagama to the FFSL to develop and conduct football tournaments both local and international.
However, the final agreement has to be signed between the two parties before the FFSL begins to develop it.
“Once the agreement has been signed the FFSL has to appeal to the World Football Body (FIFA) for funds to develop the ground that will cost a large sum of money,” said De Silva.
“FIFA will not release any funds without us showing them proper documents as evidence of the land,” added De Silva.