DHARAN, Feb 16: Dharan Football Club (DFC) has completed preparations for the 19th Budhasubba Gold Cup tournament which will start from Thursday at ANFA Technical Center in Dharan.
DFC informed a press conference in Dharan on Wednesday that the tournament will feature ten teams including two from the host, six other domestic clubs and the remaining two from India.
DFC President Kishor Rai said that the tournament will see the participation of two teams from the host - Yellow (senior), Blue (junior) - alongside Armed Police Force (APF), Nepal Police Club, Sankata FC, Rupandehi FC, Pokhara FC, Kakarbhitta Training Center and two Indian clubs including United Sikkim FC and Durgapur Steel.
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Defending champion Manang Marsyangdi Club is not participating this time as the team has gone to Bangladesh to take part in the Shiekh Kamal International Club Championship.
In the meantime, the opening match of the tournament will be played between Sankata FC and Durgapur Steel of Kolkata, India.
DFC President Rai said that the clubs taking part in the tournament have performed strongly in other different competitions held this year. “All the clubs coming to this tournament are very strong and some of them have won trophies in the season. Many domestic stars are coming with the participating teams, so the tournament will be entertaining,” shared Rai about the participating teams. He also said that host is fielding two teams with the target of clinching the trophy. DFC has made it to the final of the tournament four times in the past but has not won the trophy at the home ground yet.
The winner of the tournament will bag a purse of Rs 500,000 while the runner-up will be given Rs 250,000. Similarly the best player of the tournament will be rewarded with a Yamaha motorcycle and the highest goal scorer will be awarded with Rs 25,000.
Likewise, the best players in each position - goalkeeping, defense, midfield, striker- alongside best coach will be rewarded with Rs 15,000 each. The man-of-the-match also will be given a cash prize of Rs 5,000.
Meanwhile, the organizer has constructed a temporary parapet which can accommodate up to 5,000 spectators at the ANFA Technical Center which has a concrete parapet for 2,200 spectators. The expected cost of the tournament is about Rs 5.4 million and the organizer has expected to make an income of about Rs 6.5 million from the tournament.
