The 2015 Premier League Division I Championship kicks off with an opportunity to enter the top division curtailed.
The Football Federation of Sri Lanka will only promote the champion of the Division I to the Premier Division as opposed to the two finalists in the previous years.
28 teams will be participating in this year’s tournament with the teams divided into 4 groups. The group matches will be played on league basis with the top two of each group going through to the quarter finals. The knockout phase will be played on home and away basis apart from the final, which will be one off.
Group A Group B
Badovita United SC (Colombo) Red Sun SC (Gampola)
Old Bens SC (Colombo) Young Marians SC (Nawalapitiya)
Cooray SC (Colombo) Hy Line SC (Kandy)
Maligawatte YSC (Colombo) Comrades SC (Badulla)
Red Star SC (Deh./Mt. Lavinia) Eastern Youth SC (Ampara)
New Star SC (Colombo) Golden Star SC (Kandy)
Colpetty United SC Renown SC (Hatton)
Group C Group D
Dharga Town Utd (Beruwela) Jupiter SC (Negombo)
SLTB SC (NSSA) Maroons SC (Gampaha)
Green Field SC (Kalutara) Super Beach SC (Kalutara)
Moragasmulla SC (Colombo) Serendib SC (Mawanella)
High Landers SC (Ratnapura) Old Mazenodians SC (Wattala)
Keteriyans SC (Galle) Kandy York SC
Super Beach SC (Kalutara) Thihariya YSC (Gampaha)
Maroons SC who won the Division II last year will be in Group D while Thihariya Youth who were relegated from the top division after just one season will also join them. Red Star who were losing finalists in the Division II final are drawn in Group A. Champion Team will receive prize money of Rs.300,000 and Runner-up team will receive Rs.200,000.
MODE OF COMPETITION
Participating teams will play in 4 groups (A, B, C & D) on League Basis (one way)
Quarter Finals: On completion of the group matches 1st & 2nd (Group winner’s & runners up) teams of each groups shall qualified to play in the quarter finals.
A-1 Vs B-2 (home & away)
B-1 Vs A-2 (home & away)
C-1 Vs D-2 (home & away)
D-1 Vs C-2 (home & away)
Semi finals shall be played on home & away basis. In the event both legs ended in a draw, away goal advantage will be taken to count, even it is a draw, then extra time 15 x 2 and kicks from penalty mark shall applied.
Semi Finals: 1st Semi – The Winner of Quarter 1 Vs Winner of Quarter 3
2nd Semi -The Winner of Quarter 2 Vs Winner of Quarter 4
Finals: Winners of 1st Semi Vs 2nd Semi
Note: At the end of the tournament only Champion team shall be promoted and teams finishing 6th& 7th position on the each group (Total Eight teams) shall be relegated.
