Defending champions TC Sports Club of Maldives and inaugural edition’s champions Chattogram Abahani were pitted in the same group in the draw of the third edition of the Sheikh Kamal International Club Cup, which was held at a hotel in the capital yesterday.

The other two teams in Group A are Kolkata giants Mohun Bagan and Laos Premier League outfit Young Elephants FC.

Group B features Bangladesh Premier League champions Bashundhara Kings, six-time professional league winners Abahani alongside I-League champions Chennai City FC and Malaysian Super League outfit Terengganu FC.

While Group A features two former champions, Group B, pits two Bangladeshi giants who shared the three top-flight titles between them last season.

The eight-team event will take place from October 19 to 29 at the MA Aziz Stadium in Chattogram, with two teams from each group making it to the semifinals following round-robin matches.

While the first edition of the tournament in 2015 featured all eight teams from the South Asian region with hosts Chattogram Abahani beating Kolkata giants East Bengal in the final, the second edition saw teams from outside South Asia participating. TC Sports of Maldives beat FC Pocheon FC of South Korea in the final to take home the title.

The draw ceremony was held though a glamourous programme where representatives of all the stakeholders were present.

Tarafder Ruhul Amin, vice-president of Chattogram Abahani and chief co-ordinator of the tournament, said that this edition will surpass the previous ones. “We have not had as big a tournament at club level as the one that is going to take place. This will be the most colourful event. The MA Aziz Stadium, has been renovated. This will be a Tier-2 competition of FIFA/AFC,” said the sports organiser.

BFF president Kazi Salahuddin hoped that the tournament will help reinvigorate the memory of Sheikh Kamal further. “I am indebted to Chattogram Abahani and others for reinvigorating the memory of my childhood friend Sheikh Kamal,” Salahuddin said.

State Minister for Youth and Sports Zahid Ahsan Russel hoped that this tournament will help spread the name of Sheikh Kamal to the rest of the world. “I hope that Shaheed Sheikh Kamal’s name will spread to not just Asia but beyond through this tournament.”

TEAMS

Group A: TC Sports Club, Mohun Bagan AC, Young Elephants FC, Chattogram Abahani

Group B: Bashundhara Kings, Chennai City FC, Terengganu FC, Dhaka Abahani

Schedule: Octo 19 to 29

Venue:  MA Aziz Stadium, Chattogram

Champions: 50,000 dollars

Runners-up: 25,000 dollars

Participation money: 10,000 dollars to each team