In a bid to preparing women footballers for next year's international engagements, Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) yesterday decided to hold the Women's Football League in single leg format instead of usual double leg system.

A record number of 12 teams, four more than the last edition which ended in July last year, are going to participate in the league, which is supposed to get underway on November 15.

"As we have four international engagements -- SAFF U-20 Women's Championship, AFC U-20 Women's Championship Qualifiers, SAFF U-17 women's Championship and Olympic pre-qualifiers -- from February to April next year, we need to bring the footballers into preparation as fitness of footballers deteriorate during domestic competitions due to limitation of training at club level," said BFF women's wing chairman Mahfuza Akter Kiran.

"Having discussed the matter with the participating clubs, we have decided to hold the league in single-leg basis and the clubs agreed to it," said Kiran, also executive member of FIFA, adding that they would have needed nearly four months to complete if it was held in double-league format.

Kiran also informed that most national and age-group players have been roped in by defending champions Bashundhara Kings, runners-up Ataur Rahman Bhuiyan College SC, Farashganj SC, Siraj Smriti Sangsad SC and Barishal FA.