LALITPUR: British Gorkha Group signed sponsorship deal with the All Nepal Football Association (ANFA) for the British Gorkha Cup 2009 here today.

As per the Memorandum of Understanding, signed by ANFA President Ganesh Thapa and President of British Gorkha Group DB Bamjan, the latter would be the main sponsor of the tournament and provide Rs 2 million. The organisers will use the amount in cash prizes while the football governing body will manage the equal amount on the organisation of the event.

A total of 16 teams — 12 ‘A’ Division clubs and four invited teams — will take part in the event slated for December 16 to January 9 at the Dasharath Stadium. The Group had been organising the tournament among its member companies, mainly financial groups, for the last two years. According to the organisers, top two teams from the four Groups will advance to the quarter-finals.

Winners will receive Rs 1 million, while the runners up will get Rs 500,000. The losing semi-finalists will take home Rs 100,000 each. The best player will be awarded with a motorcycle, whereas the best striker, midfielder, defender and goalkeeper will also receive Rs 50,000 apiece.

Meanwhile, the ANFA meeting today decided to organise the Martyrs Memorial League from February 12 next year. The national league had been stalled for the last three years due to conflict in the football governing body. The meeting also announced the dates of other tournaments to be played all over the country.

The Inter-Municipality Cup will be held in Hetauda in April next year, while the knockout tournaments among the ‘B’ and ‘C’ Division clubs are slated for January-February next year. Likewise, the meeting also formed an 11-member District and Regional League Preparation and Management Committee under its vice president Kishor Rai to submit the report about the district and regional leagues to prepare for the national league.

Also, a committee was formed under the convenorship of ANFA vice president Lalit Krishna Shrestha to study and submit the report of results in the recently concluded AFC U-19 and U-16 tournaments. The meeting also decided to run the football academies in Mid-Western and Far-Western Regions under the Goal Project and construct parapet at the Chyasal, Dharan and Butwal Technical Centres.

The meeting also set January 14 the date of the Rupak Memorial Award. Likewise, the meeting appointed Krishna Bhakta Manandhar as the Competition Director and Sanjeev Mishra as the Development Director to make the ANFA Headquarters more effective. The ANFA also formed an Emergency Committee with ANFA President as its convenor and eight vice presidents as the members. The ANFA meeting also decided to organise seminars for the referees and coaches.