DOHA: Chairman of Competitions Committee at Qatar Football Association (QFA) Hamad Al Mannai announced that the new football season would kick off in September 2021.

Al Mannai added that the clubs’ training would start soon to prepare for the new season, noting that the clubs have the right to hold international training camps, provided that the coronavirus pandemic’s preventive measures and restrictions imposed are followed.

QFA held on Wednesday a media seminar and a discussion session to outline the next stage, the launch of the new season and the new strategy of the QNB Qatar Stars League for the 2024-2023 sports season. QFA also reviewed the latest developments in the local football calendar.

The session was attended by Chairman of QFA Competitions Committee Hamad Al Mannai, Director of Competitions and Players Affairs Abdullah Jaber Al Saie, Deputy Chairman of QFA Competitions Committee, and Executive Director of Competitions and Football Development at Qatar Stars League Ahmed Khalil Abbasi.

During the session, Al Mannai explained that many issues have arisen due to the exceptional circumstances in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has dramatically affected football in all countries of the world.

He noted that the end of the QSL and HH the Amirs Cup for 2021-2022 would be in April 2022. After this date, the national team players will be discharged from all local and foreign commitments with their clubs to participate in the program prepared for them to compete in the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.

Deputy Chairman of QFA Competitions Committee and Executive Director of Competitions and Football Development at Qatar Stars League Ahmed Khalil Abbasi highlighted the new strategy of QSL, which the QFA Executive Office approved.

He noted that the number of the clubs participating in the QNB Stars League would be reduced to 10 clubs to maintain competitive and high-quality football, starting from the 2023-2024 season.

He explained that the QSL championship, starting from the 2023/2024 season, will be held in three sections so that each club will play 27 matches instead of 22 matches.

Abbasi said that the clubs would abide by the “new” participation agreement, which upholds the standards necessary to develop the level of professionalism for clubs and competitions starting from the 2022-2023 season, which includes clubs in the first and second divisions, stressing that the agreement is binding on all Qatari clubs participating in local competitions and that no club will participate in any local competition if this agreement was not signed.

He added that new items would be included in the participation agreement, most notably the commercial, marketing, administrative and technical affairs, in addition to encouraging the clubs to appoint managerial competencies to raise the professional level in the clubs and enhance their role in the local community through community programs and events intended for all family members.

He noted that the distribution of the central financial revenues from commercial rights and television broadcasting for clubs would be approved per the new mechanisms and criteria, starting from the 2023-2024 season.

Abbasi unveiled the Central Scouting Team (CST), which includes experts and specialists to help clubs explore international coaches and players according to actual values and efficiency, starting from the 2021 -2022 season. The team will conduct a comprehensive study of each club to develop a technical philosophy and a particular strategy.