Former champions Dhaka Abahani Limited will start their campaign in the season's curtain-raiser soccer meet, the Independence Cup Football 2023, taking on Bangladesh Air Force in one of the three opening day's matches at the Sheikh Fazlul Haque Moni Stadium in Gopalganj on October 27.
Sheikh Russel KC will play Rahmatgang MFS at the Bashundhara Kings Arena in Dhaka while Bangladesh Police FC will face Brothers Union Club at the Bir Shreshtha Shaheed Motiur Rahman Stadium in Munshiganj in the other two opening day's matches.
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Two matches will be held on the following day (Saturday) .
Three times, Dhaka Mohammedan SC will meet the Bangladesh Army, while defending champions the Bashundhara Kings will encounter the Bangladesh Navy on Saturday, both at the Bashundhara Kings Arena.
Also read: Football season to begin with Independence Cup on Oct 27
The starting time of the above matches has yet to be announced.
In all 13 teams, ten teams from the Premier Division League and three teams from the qualifying round, split into four groups, will compete in the meet to be held at three different venues across the country.
Of the tournament's 15 group matches, eight matches will be held at the Bashundhara Kings Arena in Dhaka, three matches at the Sheikh Fazlul Haque Moni Stadium in Gopalganj, and the rest four matches at the Bir Shreshtha Shaheed Motiur Rahman Stadium in Munshiganj.
Also read: Independence Cup Football: Bashundhara Kings, Sheikh Russell make semifinals
Grouping of the meet:
Group A-Bangladesh Police, Sheikh Jamal DC, and Brothers Union Club
Group B- Dhaka Abahani Ltd, Sheikh Russel KC, Rahmatganj MFS, and Bangladesh Air Force
Group C - Dhaka Mohammedan SC, Fortis FC, and Bangladesh Army
Group D- Bashundhara Kings, Chittagong Abahani Ltd and Bangladesh Navy
On completion of league-based group matches on November 3, the top two teams from each group will play in the quarterfinals, which will begin on December 2, after a break for the AFC Cup and the engagements of the national team.
The champion team will receive a prize of Tk 5 lakh while the runners-up team will get Tk 3 lakh.