The nation’s football league—the Afghan Premier League (APL)—is scheduled to start on Thursday as the draw for the 2020 season of the league was held in Kabul on Friday.

Shaheen Asmayee, De Maiwand Atalan, Toofan Harirod, Simorgh Alborz, Mawjhai Amu, De Spinghar Bazan, De Abasin Sape, and Oqaban Hindukosh are the eight APL teams representing all 34 provinces of Afghanistan.

The teams will compete in two groups. Toofan Harirod and De Spin Ghar Bazan will compete in the opening match of APL’s 2020 season. The second match will be held between Shaheen Asmayee and Simorgh Alborz on Friday.

Last year, Toofan Harirod from the west zone won the title of the league. Toofan Harirod has won the title for three times. 

APL was launched eight years ago and is held annually at regional and national levels. Eight zones are represented in the APL. Usually, the league starts with regional selection tournaments and then ends with eighteen national league matches in Kabul.

Yusuf Kargar, acting head of Afghanistan Football Federation, said this year’s season will carry the message of support to the ongoing peace negotiations with the hope to end decades of war in the country.

“We already announced that the teams that were registered last year can start their training and they have one week to come to Kabul from other provinces,” Kargar said. “We will pass on the message of peace to everyone through the event.” 

The competition will be aired live on TOLO and Lemar TV networks.