Team Victorious were placed in Group A and defending champions Al Fakhar were in Group B in the football tournament draw of the second edition of Nasser bin Hamad Ramadan Sports Games “Nasser 9” conducted at the Bahrain Football Association headquarters under the patronage of HIs Majesty the King’s Representative for Charity Works and Youth Affairs, Supreme Council for Youth and Sports Chairman and Bahrain Olympic Committee President Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa.
Along with Victorious in Group A are Nomas, Suqoor Al Bahrain, and Al-Ameed. Besides Al Fakhar, Group B contains Al-Wihda, Galaticos, and Batelco Dreams. Group C teams are Forever, Al-Nuwayef, Majestic Cars, and Fast Link while Group D comprises last year’s runner-ups Gunners United, Al Zilzal, Fiesta, and Falcons.
Among the attendees were Tawfeeq Al-Salehi, Head of Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa Media Centre and Head of the tournament’s organising committee, Hasan Ismail, Head of the tournament and Jasem Mahmood, head of the referees committee, and representatives of the 16 participating teams.
Hasan Ismail, discussed with presidents and representatives of the participating teams regarding the tournament’s approved systems. The first round matches will be played in league format consisting of a single turn and the first and second ranked teams of each group will qualify for the round of 8 that will use the single elimination format consisting of one match. The semi-finals and the final are also in single elimination round of one match.
Hasan Ismail also clarified that the tournament will use the Fifa rules. The laws of the disciplinary committee of Bahrain Football Association (BFC) will also be applied and each team will be allowed to register two professional players only, Bahrainis or foreigners, as long as permission is obtained from the players’ clubs, approved by the Bahrain Football Association. It is also possible to register two players with permanent residence in the kingdom.
Jasem Mahmood stressed that there were many collaborative ways between the organising committee of the tournament and BFC, through which referees will be offered for all matches. This happens for the ninth time continuously, as the matches are officiated by international referees approved by BFC. He added that since the local tournament had finished the referees were ready to manage the tournament’s matches.
Mahmood added that the matches will be refereed by approved international referees in addition to first degree referees and the excellent referees of second degree. “We are aware that there will be important matches every day. This will require providing a larger number of referees and we are ready for that. There will be no difficulties in this process, as all committee members as well as the referees are highly experienced in organising tournaments locally and even overseas.”