The QNB Stars League season kicks off tomorrow with Qatar’s top 12 teams looking to grab honours in 22-rounds of absorbing contests. In the end, only one of them will be able to secure the prestigious Falcon Shield, currently owned by Al Sadd who enjoyed an astonishing 2021-2022 season in which they maintained an unbeaten run.
The organisers, Qatar Stars League (QSL), have brought forward the kick-off of the new season this time with the highly congested season in mind as the countdown clock for FIFA World Cup 2022 Qatar 2022 reaches the ‘113-days to go’ mark.
The 2022-2023 season was launched on Tuesday, in the presence of QSL SEO Hani Taleb Ballan and a host of officials of supporting departments as well as representatives of sponsors.
The organisers have also implemented the use of Qatar 2022 stadiums at the start of the League. This will also provide an opportunity to test the state-of-the-art air cooling systems at stadiums during the hot summer months ahead of the first FIFA World Cup to be staged in the Arab region.
The reigning champions Al Sadd will begin their title defence against promoted Al Markhiya to kick off the season at the iconic Khalifa International Stadium tomorrow.
Apart from Al Sadd who will be chasing an unprecedented 17th Falcon Shield this season, Umm Salal and Al Ahli will also enter the pitch tomorrow for their first match at the Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium.
The first week of the League will also see encounters between Al Arabi and Qatar SC at Education City Stadium as well as Al Gharafa and Al Sailiya at Khalifa International Stadium (both matches on Tuesday). Last season’s runners-up Al Duhail will meet Al Wakrah at the Education City Stadium on Wednesday. Al Rayyan will meet Al Shamal at the Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium in the last encounter of the first round.
The initial stage of this season’s QSL will also help keep Qatar national players in optimum form ahead of Qatar 2022 which kicks off on November 21.
Al Rihla, the official match ball for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, will be used during the QSL matches, adding more excitement to the matches with its ability to travel faster in flight than any other ball.
Being one of the most competitive leagues in Asia, QSL is set to thrill the fans once again as the football world waits for a season which they will never forget.
