I-League club Pune FC of India and African United are the two foreign teams competing in the tournament beginning Tuesday in Pokhara. African United comprises African players who featured for A division teams of Nepal in the top flight domestic football. African United was the champion of the fourth edition of Aaha Gold Cup. [break]
The other teams include national league champion Nepal Police Club, Three Star Club, Manang Marshyangdi Club (MMC), Himalayan Sherpa Club, Jawalakhel Youth Club, Ranipokhari Corner Team (RCT), Dharan FC, Rupandehi XI, ANFA U-17 and host Sahara Club.
However, Nepal Army Club and Sahara FC UK will not contest in the current edition. According to Sahara President Bikram Thakali, Army, the runner-up of the seventh and eighth editions, is leaving for India to play a friendly brigade match. On the other hand, citing poor show in previous editions and huge expenses for traveling to Nepal, Sahara FC UK has shown reluctance to participate in the current edition.
Host Sahara Club will take on Dharan FC in the opener on Tuesday.
The tournament´s winner and runner-up will bag a purse of Rs 200,000 and Rs 100,000 respectively. The tournament carried the highest cash prize among any events being held outside the capital, but the Safal Cup held in Pokhara a couple of months ago, surpassed that record of with a cash prize of Rs 250,000 for the champion.
Sahara, however, clarified that it was unable to raise the volume of cash prize due to huge expenses in tournament. "We were unable to increase the cash prize despite our willingness," Thakali said, adding, "We shall increase it next year as we will get more amount from sponsor next year."
Thakali also clarified that the cost of the tournament has increased as each participating teams will be given match fees. According to Thakali, all 10 teams other than the winner and the runner-up will be given match fees. The winning and losing teams of the first round will be given Rs 10,000 and Rs 5,000 each respectively.
Similarly, the winners of the quarterfinal round will be given 15,000 each while the losing quarterfinalists will get Rs 10,000 each. All semifinalist teams will get Rs 20,000 each. According to Keshav Thapa, secretary of Sahara, there was no provision of match fee for semifinalists in the last edition.
"We thought it was a better idea to increase match fees rather than increase cash prize for the top two teams. Increment in match fees will provide relief to all teams," Thapa said.
Sahara will get Rs 400,000 this year from its chief sponsor Himshree Foods, while the amount will increase to Rs 900,000 next year. Himshree had its sponsorship contract renewed for the next 10 years a week ago. As the chief sponsor for 10 years, Himshree will provide more than Rs 11 million in different phases.
The best player of the 10th edition will be awarded with a Yamaha motorbike while the highest scorer will be given Rs 15,000 by Pokhara Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Similarly, the best goalkeeper, defender, midfielder, forward and coach will each be awarded Rs 10,000. The fair play team will get Rs 5,000.
In the last edition, Sahara had raised Rs 3.6 million as gate money from 55,000 spectators. From the event, Sahara had earned a profit of Rs 2.7 million which was used for the construction of Sahara Academy.
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