The countdown has begun for the eighth edition of the Qatar Indian Association (QIA)’s flagship football tournament — the All India Champions League. The City Exchange Transfast QIA Champions League 2020 (QIACL20) is all set to kick off on March 12 at the Doha Stadium.
Since its inception in 2013, QIA has earned plaudits for its innovative tournament concept, which brings together professional footballers from India and expatriates living in Qatar in a month-long footballing extravaganza. As in previous years, QIACL20 is being held with the support and patronage of the Ministry of Culture and Sports, and the Qatar Football Association.
Tournament organisers are putting the final touches ahead of the first game of the 2020 edition, and as part of the preparations, formally welcomed sponsors and participating teams during the official partners meet and group stage draw, held at the Marriott Marquis City Center.
Sharaf P Hameed, CEO of tournament title sponsors City Exchange, was the chief guest on the occasion. He was joined by noted Qatari football intermediary Sultan Al Buainain, Indian Business & Professionals Council President Azim Abbas, Indian Sports Centre General Secretary Habib Nabi, Kerala Business Forum President Jayaraj, MediaOne and Madhyamam Chairman Raheem Omassery.
QIACL20 general convener Nihad Ali welcomed the gathering and explained the new features of the 2020 edition of the tournament, which will involve eight teams and a new format that gives more teams chances of qualifying for the knockout stage. He also spoke of the tournament’s objective to promote football among young Indians living in Qatar.
QIA Technical Head Thomas Bennet conducted the group stage draw of the tournament, which divided the teams into two groups of four. Defending champions Crescent Omega FC are in Group A, alongside Forca Mumbai, Tamil Nadu FC and QIEFC. Group B consists of Care N Cure FC, Eagles FC, City Exchange and MADRE Integrated FC.
Sultan Al Buainain took part in the draw ceremony, picking Crescent Omega FC as the first team in Group A Al Buainain also addressed the audience to express his best wishes to the tournament organisers, and presented jerseys of Qatar Stars League footballers Tiago Bezerra and Isaias Sanchez, to QIA Advisory Board members EP Abdulrahman and Safeerurahman.
Representatives of a number of firms then signed agreements with QIACL20, coming on board as tournament sponsors. City Exchange and Transfast put pen to paper to become joint title sponsors of the eighth edition of the tournament. City Exchange CEO Sharaf P Hameed and Transfast country manager Jithesh Vadakkath were present at the ceremony to formally announce their partnership with QIACL20.
Azym Technologies and Marhaba Tourism (Diamond); Care n Cure and Black Olive (Gold); Parker Russel, JP Group, Abu Issa Holding, and Coastal Group (Silver); Al Muftah Rent-a-Car, MP Traders, Eastern Gate, Adastra, Macmet Al Khaleej, Rayyan Water, and KIMS Medical Centre (Support); Spirit Events (AV Partner), Athlen Sports (Events Partner), Radio Malayalam 98.6 (Radio Partner), MediaOne (TV Partner), and Gulf Madhyamam (Print Media Partner) also signed and exchanged agreements with QIACL.
City Exchange CEO Sharaf P Hameed spoke of his firm’s commitment towards sports, and promised complete support for the success of the tournament.
QIA Head of PR & Legal Yasir KC supervised the signing ceremony, while Muhasin Marakkar proposed the vote of thanks.
