Cargills Food City KO Football will gather momentum on April 23
The final round of the Cargills Food City knock-out football tournament will commence on April 23 in all parts of the island. This has been decided by the Football Federation of Sri Lanka. Five hundred and eight (508) teams took part in the tournament which commenced in November last year. Thirty two teams (32) have now qualified for the final round. Out of this leading 16 teams had entered the final round from the FA Cup. They are: Colombo FC, Blue Star SC, SL Navy, SL Army, Matara City SC, Solid Anuradhapura SC, Saunders SC,Up Country Lions SC Nawalapitiya, Java Lane SC, SL Air Force SC, Singing Fish SC Jaffna, St. Joseph’s SC Mannar, Renown SC, Highlanders SC Ratnapura, Police SC and New Star SC Panadura.
Eight teams have qualified from the Dialog Champions League last year. They are: Crystal Palace SC, New Youngs SC Wennappuwa, NegomboYouth SC, Nandimitra SC, Super Sun SC Beruwala, Tihariya Youth SC, Pelicaans SC Kurunegala and Kalutara Park SC. The following eight teams qualified from first round matches. They are: Kirulapona United SC, Red Star SC Ratnapura, Hilary SC Mannar, Brilliant SC Ampara, Liverpool SC Puttalam, Comrades SC, Jetline SC Gampaha or Renown SC Hatton, St. Nicholas SC Jaffna or Young Henricus SC Walikkaman.
The pre quarter-finals will be played on April 30 and May 1. The quarter-finals will be on May 13 and 14. The semi-finals will be on May 20 and the finals on May 28. This has been scheduled by the Football Federation of Sri Lanka.
The winning team will receive a cash award of Rs. 7 lakhs and the runners-up will receive Rs. 5 lakhs. Last year Colombo FC emerged champions defeating Kalutara Blue Star 1-0. The FA Cup commenced in 1948 and is the oldest football tournament in the country and perhaps in the world. Sunrise SC were the first champions defeating Police 2-1 in the final. Saunders have won the FA Cup the most number of times, which is 15.
Last time Saunders won the trophy was in 2000-2001. This time too Saunders have qualified to be in the final round. The tournament first commenced as the Ceylon FA Cup and then became the Bristol Cup. Sharp FA Cup. Holcim FA Cup and is now known as the Cargills Cup.