The 2018 season of the greatly anticipated Afghan Premier League (APL), centered around the message “One nation – One voice”, will kick off next week on Sunday after it was postponed due to insufficient financial support.
 
The APL was launched six years ago and is held annually at regional and national levels.
 
Until now the league has been sponsored by the private sector and supported by the international community. It not only provides entertainment for millions of Afghans worldwide, but promotes national unity, combats radicalism, and works to eradicate drug usage.
 
Eight zones are represented in the APL – which is staged over six months, starting with regional selection tournaments and then ending with eighteen national league matches in Kabul.
 
Over the past six years, the annual tournament has grown tremendously in popularity and draws thousands of spectators and millions of TV viewers each year.
 
The league matches are held at Kabul Stadium each year.
 
The financial cost for the APL’s seventh tournament will be paid by Afghanistan Football Federation (AFF) and the APL, said Sayed Ali Reza Aqazada, the AFF Secretary General.
 
A draw ceremony for the football teams was held on Monday in which eight squads were divided into two groups. 
 
Based on the draw result, Shaheen Asmayee from Kabul, which was the champion in the sixth APL tournament, has been placed in the first group with De Spinghar Bazan, Da Abasin Sapi and Mawjhai Amu. 
 
Meanwhile, Oqaban Hindukush, De Maiwand Atalan, Toofan Harirod and Simorgh Alborz will play in the second group. 
 
Shaheen Asmayee will play Mawjhai Amu in the opening match next week on Sunday.   
 
This year, all matches will be held during evenings.