Prize boost for Nasser bin Hamad football league teams

TDT | Manama                          

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

The 2022/2023 Nasser bin Hamad Bahrain Premier Football League is scheduled to kick off tonight, and on the occasion of its launch, the Bahrain Football Association (BFA) announced yesterday a massive increase in prize money for the league’s top three teams at the end of the season.

The boost in financial awards is in line with the vision and strategy of His Majesty the King’s humanitarian works and youth affairs representative and Supreme Council for Youth and Sports (SCYS) chairman His Highness Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa, and it comes in implementation of the directives of SCYS first deputy-chairman, General Sports Authority president and Bahrain Olympic Committee chief His Highness Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa.

The BFA said that the Nasser bin Hamad Bahrain Premier Football League champions will now receive a prize of $200,000, while the runners-up will get $130,000 and the third-placers will come away with $90,000. BFA president Shaikh Ali bin Khalifa in Ahmed Al Khalifa expressed his sincerest thanks and appreciation to HH Shaikh Nasser and HH Shaikh Khalid for their constant support to football in the Kingdom. Shaikh Ali said that the increase in prize money will help in the further development of football in Bahrain.

Four matches are scheduled for tonight in the opening day of action this season. Kicking off at 5.05pm, Al Khaldiya are scheduled to take on Al Ahli at the Khalifa Sports City Stadium in Isa Town, followed at 8pm by reigning AFC Cup champions Muharraq playing Hidd. At the National Stadium in Riffa, East Riffa and Bahrain Club lock horns at 5.05pm and then defending league champions Riffa go up against Al Shabab at 8pm. The first week of league action continues on Tuesday with two more games, both kicking off at 6.30pm.

At Khalifa Sports City, Budaiya face Al Hala and at the National Stadium, Manama play Sitra. Riffa won last season’s title in April with a 4-1 victory over Muharraq in the concluding matchday of the campaign.