Lekhwiya players celebrate after winning the 2013-14 Qatar Stars League in this file photo. Lekhwiya will meet Emir Cup champions Al Sadd in the Sheikh Jassim Cup on Aug 13.
Newly-built Abdullah bin Khalifa Stadium—the home base of Lekhwiya—will host the Sheikh Jassim Cup between the winners of the Qatar Stars League (Lekhwiya) and the winners of the Emir Cup (Al Sadd). The match will be played on August 13 at 7 pm, Qatar Football Association (QFA) announced.
Sheikh Jassim Cup is the season-opening football tournament in Qatar. On August 11, QFA officials will meet their counterparts from QSL to hammer out the final arrangements for the game.
The pre-final press conference involving coaches and players from both sides will take place on August 12 at Al Bidda Tower.
Sheikh Jassim Cup was first held in 1977 and has been a regular feature on the Qatar football calendar since then. Al Sadd have won the event 12 times while Al Arabi have emerged champions on six occasions. Qatar Sports Club, Al Wakrah and Al Rayyan have won the event four times each.
QFA also announced that it will donate the revenue generated from the match to victims of Gaza. “As part of our social responsibility, we will be cooperating with our partner, ROTA, which will be in charge of all the necessary procedures that will ensure that the revenue generated from the match is sent to the victims of Gaza Strip,” Khalid Mubarak al-Kuwari, Acting COO of QFA, said.
“Our support to Gaza’s victims that have faced violence because of Israeli occupation is of utmost importance to QFA and this is the least we can do to support the unaided civilians. It’s a great opportunity for football fans to attend the match and contribute to this charitable and humanitarian cause and support the innocent Palestinian people,” he added.
Meanwhile, Al Arabi has decided to donate all match proceeds in the 2014-15 season to Gaza victims. According to a statement posted on the club’s website, Chairman Hitmi bin Ali Khalifa al-Hitmi and the Board of Directors at Al Arabi Sports Club unanimously decided to forego all match proceeds the club will make in the new season. Al Arabi hopes more organizations and clubs will follow suit to help the terribly affected people on the Gaza strip.
