Dhaka: Saif Power Battery 12-team Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) Football will kick-off on Friday at the Bangabandhu National Stadium ( BNS) here after deferment of the league schedule several times in the last one and a half month.

Defending champions Dhaka Abahani Limited will play the inaugural match with newcomers Saif Sporting Club at 4:30 pm while Chittagong Abahani Ltd will face Farashganj SC at 6:45 pm in the other opening day's fixture at the same venue.

On the following day (Saturday), Team BJMC will play Brothers Union Club at 4:30 pm while Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club will meet Mohammedan SC at 6:45 pm at thje same venue .

Muktijoddha Sangsad KC will encounter Sheikh Russel KC at 4:3o pm while
Arambagh KS will play Rahmatganj MFS at 6:45 pm on Sunday (July 30) in the remaining first round matches at BNS.

All the four first round matchers will be held at the Banganadhu National Stadium in Dhaka while some matches of the league from 5th round will be held at MA Aziz Stadium in Chittagong.

Bangla TV, a new satellite TV channel, will telecast the match live from the big bowl.

As per signing an agreement with sponsor Saif Global Sports, apex body of Saif Power Battery on Wednesday, Bangla TV Ltd will telecast some 121 matches out of 132.

Earlier, Saif Power Battery earned the title sponsorship right of the prestigious league
for one season providing Tk 1.5 crore, less then Tk 2.5 crore from last year's sponsor JB Group, who purchased the title rights last year offering Tk 4 crore, also for one year.

Saif Power Battery is a sister concern of Saif Powertec, which has its own team playing in the BPL football as Saif Sporting Club.

In last year's league, sponsored by JB Group, was held at five venues of Dhaka, Chittagong, Sylhet, Mymensingh and Gopalganj.

The twelve participating team are: Dhaka Abahani Ltd, Chittagong Abahani Ltd, Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club, Sheikh Russell KC, Muktijoddha Sangsad KC, Arambagh KS, Mohammedan SC Ltd, Brothers Union Club, Rahmatganj MFS, Team BJMC, Fatashganj SC and newcomers Saif Sporting Club.

Uttar Baridhara Club and Feni Soccer were relegated from the BPL Football last year.