Friday, Aug 30, 2024 23:30 [IST]
Last Update: Thursday, Aug 29, 2024 17:59 [IST]
GANGTOK,: The Sikkim Premier League (SPL) 2024-25 is set to kick-off on August
31 here at Paljor Stadium with the inaugural match between defending champions
Sikkim Police and Aakraman FC.
Gangtok
Himalayan FC will take on newly promoted Singtam Howlers SC in the second match
of the day, informed the organisers Sikkim Football Association (SFA) at a
press meet on Thursday.
The
Sikkim Premier League is the State’s top league and is accredited with the All
India Football Federation (AIFF). As such, the AIFF rules regarding
registration of clubs and players are mandatory besides not allowing foreign
players to feature.
The other
sides in this eight-team league are Kumar Sporting Club, Sikkim Boys FC, Sikkim
Brotherhood FC and Sang Mustang FC.
Among
them, Sikkim Brotherhood FC had received automatic promotion from last year’s B
Division. Sikkim Boys FC and Sang Mustang FC were given entries as the other
two premier league clubs United Sikkim FC and SAI Namchi withdrew for this season
citing various reasons.
SFA
general secretary Phurba Sherpa shared that the SPL clubs can have only six
players from outside Sikkim in their squads and among them, only three can be
fielded in the playing XI. There has to
be eight local players of Sikkim in the playing XI, he said.
Altogether
56 matches would be held in SPL 2024-25 with each club playing 14 matches
before the league concludes on October 10.
SFA
senior vice president Shyam Pradhan informed that the Sikkim Premier League,
organised by the SFA, is the most prestigious football championship in Sikkim
as it is the gateway for local clubs to top AIFF tournaments like I-League,
Institutional League and the upcoming new NE Football Development Council
championship.
Winners
and runners-up of SPL 2024-25 will also get entry in the prestigious Governor’s
Gold Cup football tournament to be organised by the SFA this November.
The SFA
executives recorded their sincere gratitude to Chief Minister PS Golay for his
support to promotion of sports including football in Sikkim. They further
appealed to the people to watch the SPL matches at Paljor Stadium and support
the football clubs and players.
Speaking
to the media, the club officials of Gangtok Himalayan FC, Sikkim Brotherhood FC
and Sikkim Boys FC shared that they have made good preparations at their
respective levels for the league, focussing mostly on promoting the upcoming
football talents of Sikkim.
Sikkim Premier League 2024-25
Sikkim
Police (Defending champions), Gangtok Himalayan FC, Aakraman FC, Sikkim Boys FC,
Kumar Sporting Club, Singtam Howlers SC, Sikkim Brotherhood FC, Sang Mustang FC
Opening Day | August 31
Aakarman
FC vs Sikkim Police 11:30 am
Gangtok
Himalayan FC vs Singtam Howlers FC 2:30 pm
*All
matches would be played at Paljor Stadium
