2021 Sri Lanka Super League
The 2021 Sri Lanka Super League is the first season of Sri Lanka Super League, the top division of Sri Lankan football. The season began on 19 April 2021.
| Season | 2020–21 |
|---|---|
| Dates | 19 April – TBA |
2022 → | |
Summary
Impact of COVID-19 pandemic
The start of the season was impacted by the ongoing COVID-19 situation. After the 2018–19 season, the inaugural Super League was scheduled to kick-off in April 2020,[1] but was rescheduled to November 2020,[1] 29 January 2021[2] and finally started on 19 April 2021,[3] due to concerns of the pandemic with discussions held with the health authorities.[4]
Due pandemic, this season was forced to play on a single round-robin system (each club plays the others once).
After the International Break at the end of matchday 3, the tournament recommencement was scheduled to 2 July 2021. But the Football Sri Lanka announced the postponement on 16 June 2021, due to travel restrictions.[5]
Pre-season tournament
During the lockdown period, many clubs had difficulties in their preparations. Clubs based in Kotahena; Ratnam and Renown couldn't train due to the restrictions and requested the Football Sri Lanka for a pre-season tournament. Since the Sri Lanka national football team were set to play their 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifying second round games against Lebanon and South Korea in March, Football Sri Lanka accepted the two club's request and conducted Sri Lanka Super League pre-season tournament, without spectators.[2][6]
Super League pre-season tournament was conducted with the 10 Super League clubs, divided to two groups, group stage matches held from 17 February 2021 to 24 March 2021.[7]
Teams
The league is made up of 10 clubs that broke away from the Sri Lanka Champions League at the end of the 2018–19 season, after meeting the Football Federation of Sri Lanka's Club Licensing Criteria in association with the Asian Football Confederation.[4]
Teams and their divisions
- Note: Table lists clubs in alphabetical order.
League table
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sea Hawks | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | +8 | 9 | Qualification for AFC Cup preliminary round 1 |
| 2 | Red Stars | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 10 | 2 | +8 | 7 | |
| 3 | Colombo | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 2 | +4 | 6 | |
| 4 | Blue Star | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 4 | +2 | 6 | |
| 5 | Up Countrty Lions | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 2 | +3 | 4 | |
| 6 | Defenders | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | |
| 7 | Ratnam | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 4 | −3 | 2 | |
| 8 | Renown | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 | −3 | 1 | |
| 9 | Blue Eagles | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 7 | −7 | 1 | |
| 10 | New Young's | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 13 | −12 | 0 |
Results
References
- ‘Super League’ – Sri Lanka’s first Professional Football League to begin in November at Daily News Lanka. date:2 July 2020
- Lanka Super League to begin with pre-season tournament at Daily Mirror Lanka. date: 20 January 2021
- Football Super League kicks off tomorrow at Sunday Observer Lanka. date:18 April 2021
- Sri Lanka Super League set for November lift off at AFC. date: 2 July 2020
- Super League Postponement at Football Sri Lanka. date: 16 June 2021
- Football Super League kicks off to transform Sri Lanka at Sunday Observer Lanka. date: 4 April 2021
- Super League pre-season tournament group stage schedule at Football Sri Lanka (Facebook). date: 12 February 2021