DOHA: Qatar Football Association (QFA) launched the first edition of Q League, a new league that will have 18 teams formed of 14 Reserve and four Second Division teams.
Q League will be played on a league format where two teams from the Second Division will ascend to Qatar Stars League (QSL) based on their ranking, whilst the 13th and 14th place teams in QSL will be relegated to Q League.
The league which begins on September 21, will end on December 17, and will have 153 matches in total.
The Q League matches will be played at nine different football stadiums: Al Sadd, Qatar SC, Al Gharafa, Al Rayyan, Lekhwiya, Al Arabi, Al Wakrah, Al Khor, and Al Sailiya.
Speaking on the launch, Hamad Al Mannai, Director of Competitions of QFA said: “We are happy to announce the launch of the first edition of Q League, a league that witnesses the participation of a total of 18 Reserve and Second Division teams.”
He added: “Preparations for Q League have been in place for months now as this league is crucial league that contributes to the development of national football. We had numerous meetings that focused on the organising of this league to ensure its structured in a successful manner.”
The name and logo was also launched. The new name represents the joining of the Reserve League and the Second Division League which used to be played separately.
The new logo is inspired by a football’s circular shape, the new Q League logo engages a sense of skill, unity and endurance. The three swatches that create the round image highlight the energy and enthusiasm of football, coupled with an interlocking design that suggests teamwork and advance planning.
Speaking of the name and logo, Khalid Al Kuwari, Director of Marketing and Communications of QFA said: “We are very excited about launching the new name and logo of Q League. We have formulated a detailed media and marketing campaign for Q League as this is the first edition of this league and want to ensure it receives the coverage it deserves.”
He added: “QFA signed an agreement with Al Kass Channel to broadcast the matches. All matches will not conflict with the current QSL matches. There will be a TV show dedicated to covering Q League. We are also working with different media outlets to make sure positive coverage is achieved.”
He explained: “We’d like to thank the sponsors of Q League who have contributed greatly to guarantee the success of the league. We’d like to thank all the media that constantly assist us in publishing our news and portraying football in Qatar in a positive way. We are always keen on building a stronger relationship with the media as they play a vital role in revealing news to the public.”
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