Sri Lanka Champions League returns from limbo

By Susil Premalal

After two years of silence, the Football Federation of Sri Lanka (FFSL) officially announced that the long-awaited Champions League will commence on November 7. 

The competition will feature 14 of the nation’s leading football clubs and is expected to provide exciting high-quality matches for fans across the country. 

The clubs participating in this year’s tournament are Matara City Club, Java Lane SC, Pelicans SC, Serendib SC, Crystal Palace SC, St. Mary’s SC, Super Sun SC, SLTB SC, Saunders SC, Moragasmulla SC, Sri Lanka Police SC, New Star SC, Solid SC and Negombo Youth SC.

According to the FFSL, various challenges in recent seasons prevented the organization of domestic competitions, making this comeback a significant milestone. Following a successful meeting between FFSL President Jaswar Umar and club owners, it was unanimously agreed that the new season would be inaugurated in a grand and glamorous manner.

The tournament structure will divide the 14 clubs into two groups of seven. Each team will play one another in their group during the first round, after which the top four clubs from each group will qualify for the Super Eight stage. 

The remaining six teams will enter the relegation round, where the bottom two clubs will be demoted to League One. At the end of the Super Eight, the top two clubs will secure promotion to the prestigious Super League 2026 season.

The opening matches are scheduled to take place at the Racecourse Ground, with additional venues to be announced later. To ensure professionalism and smooth operations, FFSL has pledged to provide financial assistance and football equipment to all participating clubs.