According to the unveiled fixtures, 16 football clubs
will be competing in the competition which will kick off on Sunday 25thof September. General Da’ud cup is the
second most popular sporting event in Somalia after the elite National football
league.
"The event will involve the eight clubs who remained in
the elite national league and as well as the top eight clubs in the second
division league. This means that the four teams which finished bottom in the two
leagues [two teams] from each league will be out of the competition” SFF
director of communications, Shafi’i Mohyaddin Abokar, said in a media release
on Friday.
This year’s General Da’ud Cup is expected to attract an
increasing number of audience as it will be shown live on TV screens. "All
matches of the competition will go live on television and it will be the first
time that matches of this particular competition will all be shown on the
screen since Somalia competitions started to go live late last year” the SFF
director of communications said in his press statement on Friday.
"So far we can confirm that one local television has set
up transmitting equipment at Stadium Banadir, but all other Somali
language-broadcasting televisions are welcome. We are allowing them to show the
matches for free, because we want to teach Somali media and business companies
about the importance that football advertisements can help promote their
businesses” Mr. Abokar explained.
"I take this opportunity to thank Access Sports TV and
Mogadishu Cable which is now broadcasting live the ongoing Somali youth
football league for putting much efforts in promoting Somali football
competitions” SFF director of communications noted.
He said that the interest for the Somali football
competitions increased amongst the community since Somali football matches went
live late in 2015. "In the last football season we had some of our matches shown
on screens, but this football season something has changed and all matches will
be watched live, although we can so far confirm one local TV, but other Somali
TVs which can show the matches outside the country are now showing much
interest” he said.
"The live coverage will make it easier for Somali fans
who cannot make their way to the stadium get access to watch matches while at home” SFF
director of communications, Shafi’i Mohyaddin Abokar, said in his media release
on Friday.
General Da’ud was the founder of Somalia’s Armed Forces
and he died in 1965, but in 1972 the Somali football federation began the
organization of the General Da’ud cup which was named after the late father of
Somali military and is held every year in his honour.
However, the group stages of the competition will as scheduled conclude on October 28 and the Somali football federation will afterwards release the time table for those who qualified for the quarter finals.
Somali Football Federation Media Department