Doha: The Qatar Stars League (QSL) will launch the new Qatar Cup tournament which will be a continuation of the Heir Apparent Cup, the successful format of the top four qualifying teams contesting the title will still continue. The name change will be an opportunity for a fresh page for the competition.
Therefore the Heir Apparent Cup will undergo a revamp and will be known officially as The Qatar Cup.
The history of the tournament stretches back to 1994 when it was first launched. Back then it was known as the Golden Square Cup which was a reference to the top four qualifying teams who made up the competition.
The very first edition of this competition was played out between Al Shamal, Al Gharafa, Al Arabi and the inaugural winners - Al Rayyan.
Then in 1995 the competition was rebranded as the Heir Apparent Cup in order to add some regal prestige and glamour to the domestic Qatari football schedule. The tournament instantly became a hit with the fans as they clamoured to be part of the end-of-season finale.
The bragging rights are fiercely fought over and so the tournament gave extra motivation to all the clubs to finish in the top four. It is widely recognized that the Cup has improved competitiveness and quality within the Qatar Stars League.
Al Rayyan can boast to be the first team crowned champions of the Heir Apparent Cup when they lifted the trophy in 1995. They won the trophy the following year as they enjoyed an early hold over the Cup.
Al Sadd has won the tournament on 5 occasions with Al Rayyan close behind on 4 and Qatar Sports Club on 3 wins. The last team to have the honour of lifting the Cup with its old name will be Lekhwiya as they won it last season beating Al Sadd in the final (2012/13).
The new tournament will continue to provide a strong national feel and pay homage to the great nation of Qatar.
It will be intriguing to see who will have the honour of winning the tournament under its new name! Rayyan will always be remembered as the team that won the first ever Golden Square Cup and Heir Apparent Cup. Hence, the importance of being the first winners of the Qatar Cup won’t be lost on any of the four teams in this season’s competition.
The Qatar Cup semi-final will take place on April 19 and the final itself on April 26.
The Peninsula
