The organising committee of the Captain Saeed al-Misnad Ramadan Football Championship announced Saturday the draw for the first edition of the championship, which will kick off on the second day of the holy month of Ramadan.
The championship is organised by Global Pro Sports Services in co-operation with the Qatar Police Sports Federation and Al Khor Club, and will take place at the outdoor playgrounds at Al-Bayt Stadium in Al-Khor City.
The announcement came at a press conference attended by Mohamed Mubarak al-Muhannadi, member of Qatar Football Association's Veteran Players Committee and the executive director of the championship, alongside representatives of the participating teams.
The 16 participating teams were divided into four groups.
Group A is made up of Al Khor, Milton Keynes, Al Wakra, and Al Shaqab.
Group B comprises Al-Zamalek, Young People of Al-Thakhira, Madinat Khalifa, and Umm Salal.
Group C consists of Um Baraka, Haloul, Borouq, and Al-Maida, while Group D comprises of Al-Taawon, Al Rayyan, Al Daayen, and Lusail.
The first round will be a single-stage format, with the top two teams from each group advancing to the quarter-finals.
Al Khor will face Milton Keynes in the opening match, while Al Wakrah will play against Al- Shaqab in Group A.
In Group B, Al-Zamalek will play against the Young People of Al Thakhira, and Madinat Khalifa will face Umm Salal.
Each team has 11 players, with eight players on the field.
It is required to register at least seven Qatari players, with the allowance of up to four resident players.
The match duration is set at 40 minutes for the first round and 50 minutes for the knockout stages, officiated by referees accredited to the Qatar Football Association.
Prizes will be awarded to the top three teams, with the champion receiving QR30,000, the runner-up QR20,000, and the third-place team QR 15,000.
Awards will also be given to the best player, top scorer, and best goalkeeper.
The championship bears the name of the late Captain Saeed al-Misnad, the former adviser to the Qatari national football teams and the dean of Qatari national coaches, who made significant contributions to the Qatari football.
Al-Muhannadi appreciated the efforts of all partners and the great support from all sponsors, including Rawafed Company, Akhwan Jewellery, Al Khor and AlThakhira Company, Best Group, and Seashore Group for their contributions to organising the championship, as well as the Qatar Police Sports Federation and Al Khor Club.
Former Qatari football star Captain Adel Khamis stressed that the championship is a wonderful initiative from the organisers and the Qatar Police Sports Federation, reflecting gratitude towards the late Captain al-Misnad for his contributions to the Qatari football.
Captain al-Misnad's career as coach and player spanned nearly 40 years.
He led the national team to win the Asian Games tournament in 2006 and contributed to winning the GCC Cup three times – in 1992, 2004, and 2014 – as well as the International Friendship Cup in 2018.
His career as a player lasted around 17 years, during which he led Al Khor to win the Second Division Cup and qualify for the First Division League, then to the Amir Cup final.
His career continued with Al Sadd team, the national team, and the military team.
He began his coaching career as an assistant coach with the famous Brazilian coach Evaristo de Macedo, and then helped lead the youth national team to the FIFA U-17 World Cup in China in 1985 and in New Zealand in 1999.
He later coached the senior national football team at the AFC Asian Cup in China in 2004, and continued as a technical adviser to the Qatar national teams.
He became one of the most influential figures in the history of Qatari football and contributed significantly to the achievement of winning the AFC Asian Cup in 2019.