The Third Division Football League will start next month.

While the league is set to start on the 1st of February, Football Association of Maldives (FAM)’s Competition Department Head, Ismail Riyaz told RaajjeMV that there could be a delay of “about a week” but that the third division matches will commence in early-February for certain.

FAM opened the opportunity for registered clubs to sign up for the league from 28 December 2020 to 5 January 2021.

While 22 clubs are to have signed up prior to the deadline, Riyaz said that it was extended to January 11 as clubs faced delays in obtaining the required documents. It was extended further to January 17 after the Commissioner of Sports, Ahmed Saleem (Heena), contracted Covid-19.

The deadline for the clubs to sign up players for the tournament is January 26.

Some of the clubs have already begun training for the league.

While the association made the decision to hold the Third Division Football League this year, it had been halted the past two years. Rock Streets Sports Club won the 2018 league, out of the 31 that competed.