Dialog Champions League 2013

The 8th Dialog Champions League will kick off on 4th May, with the objective of spreading the tournament throughout the country. The media conference about the tournament structure was held on the 29th April at the Dialog Future World Auditorium.

20 Teams, 500 Players, 15 Venues, 187 Matches!

Dialog as it was in the last 7 years partnering FFSL, will be the sponsor strengthening the bond with the football public. Champions League is the foremost Football competition in any Federation worldwide. The Dialog Champions League will consist of 20 teams and the 187 matches will be played at 15 venues on home and away basis.

The inclusion of Solid SC from Anuradhapura, Pelicans SC from Kurunegala, City SC from Matara, Up Country Lions from Nawalapitiya and Super Sun from Beruwala will add excitement in these regions, in addition to the traditional venues of Kaluthara, Wennapuwa, Negombo, Kelaniya and Colombo attracting thousands of football fans relishing the keen competition and champion brand of football. The penetration planned for the DCL2013 in multiple outstation locations, will create an opportunity for young footballers from the provincial regions to play for their town clubs and become superstars in their communities and even in Sri Lanka.

Presenting the features of the DCL2013 Competition, Director and Chairman of Marketing Football Federation Sri Lanka, Trevor Reckerman,“ We want to take  Football far and wide. We are playing matches in Matara, Nawalapitiya, Anuradhapura and in the future to Jaffna as well. I don’t think any other sporting tournament does this much coverage around Sri Lanka. With the tournament going through to different parts of Sri Lanka we have the potential to reach 2 million spectators. We want to make each match an event.” Not forgetting their social responsibilities, Mr.Reckerman also mentioned,“We are also planning to do a CSR project with Dialog in helping an orphanage.”

DCL2013 will include lucrative price money as well as many different awards. Champions of the tournament will receive LKR 750,000 while the Runner-up will receive LKR 500,000. Also the losing semi finalist will receive LKR 150,000 each. Furthermore there will be the Golden Boot and Golden Glove awards.

The DCL 2013 with over 500 players will include players from Nigeria, Cameroon, Ghana and Morocco and this will offer an opportunity for Sri Lankan players to combine well for never before seen matches in all venues. The competitiveness and enthusiasm has increased among the DCL clubs this year that even new comers from Kurunegala, Pelicans SC have brought in a Moroccan coach.

Speaking on behalf of Dialog Axiata, Vice President, National Sales,PradeepKeerthirathna, “Having foreign players is great for the game. It will improve the game among the local players. A good example is Rugger in Sri Lanka which has prospered with the inclusion of the foreign players.” He also mentioned that Dialog will be partnering FFSL in the future as well, which is a great sign for the future of Football in Sri Lanka.

The Dialog Champions League 2013 will also serve as a channel for the best in the country vie for selection to the national pool as the new Brazilian coaches and the National selectors will be on a talent hunt to reconfigure the National Squad for the SAFF tournament which will be held at the end of the year.