Sri Lanka Champions League
The Sri Lanka Champions League (currently known under its sponsored name Dialog Champions League) is a Sri Lanka professional league for men's association football clubs. At the top of the Sri Lankan football league system, it is the country's topflight football league. Contested by 18 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the Division I.
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| Founded | 1985 |
|---|---|
| Country | Sri Lanka |
| Confederation | AFC |
| Number of teams | 18 |
| Level on pyramid | 1 |
| Relegation to | Division I |
| Domestic cup(s) | Sri Lanka FA Cup |
| International cup(s) | AFC Cup & SAFF Club Championship |
| Current champions | Defenders (2nd title), (2018–19) |
| Most championships | Saunders SC (12 titles) |
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The tournament was conducted in various formats. Apart from the league system, a playoff stage was included in 2013–14 season. Currently, 18 clubs are participated in the tournament. Saunders have won the most titles in the league, winning 12 titles. Rathnam have won the title 5 times, Renown 4 times, and Colombo 3 times. In recent times, different clubs have able to win the championship title.
History
The competition was started in 1985 and it was held every year. The 2016 Sri Lanka Football Premier League is the 32nd season of the Sri Lanka Football league. The tournament was conducted in various formats. Apart from the league system a playoff stage was included in the 2013–14 season. Currently 18 clubs participate in the tournament. Saunders are the most time champion with 12 titles. Rathnam have won the title five times and Renown four times. In recent times different clubs have been able to win the championship title. Colombo have won the title three times and are the current champions.
Competition Format
In the current structure of the league 18 clubs compete for the title. In the first stage the teams are divided into two groups of nine. Those teams compete in a round robin format. The best four teams from each group qualify for the Championship Stage. In that stage the 8 teams compete in a round robin format and the group winner is the champion of the season. The bottom two teams of each group in the first stage are relegated to the Division I.
Qualification for international competitions
The champion of the league will earn the chance to play in the AFC Cup tournament which is organized by Asian Football Confederation. Also they qualify for the SAFF Club Championship. However the title holders didn't compete in any of the above competitions until 2014. The first team to play in the AFC Cup was Colombo FC, which won the title in 2015.
2018-19 Season
| Club Name | Location | Stadium[1] | Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Force Sports Club | Kelaniya | Kelaniya Football Complex Air Force Ground Sugathadasa Stadium etc. |
Kelaniya Football Complex:1,000 Sugathadasa Stadium :28,000 Air Force Ground:2,000 |
| Blue Star SC | Kalutara | Kalutara Stadium Ceylonese Rugby & Football Club Grounds |
Kalutara Stadium:2,000 Ceylonese Rugby & Football Club Grounds:2,500 |
| Colombo FC | Colombo | Sugathadasa Stadium Ceylonese Rugby & Football Club Grounds Kelaniya Football Complex etc. |
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| Crystal Palace SC | Gampola | Weegulawatta Ground Jayathilake Stadium etc. |
Weegulawatta Ground:1,000 Jayathilake Stadium:10,000 |
| Defenders FC | Homagama | Homagama Ground Kelaniya Football Complex Ceylonese Rugby & Football Club Grounds etc. |
Homagama Ground:5,000 |
| Java Lane SC | Colombo | City Football Complex | 1,000 |
| Matara City SC | Matara | Matara Football Complex | 2,000 |
| Navy Sea Hawks SC | Welisara | Navy Ground | 1,000 |
| Negambo Youth | Negombo | Maristella Playground Kelaniya Football Complex etc. |
Maristella Playground:1,000 |
| New Young's SC | Wennappuwa | Sir Albert F. Peiries Stadium Ceylonese Rugby & Football Club Grounds etc. |
Sir Albert F. Peiries Stadium:5,000 |
| Pelicans SC | Kurunegala | Maliga Pitiya Stadium St. Annes College Ground |
Maliga Pitiya Stadium:3,000 |
| Ratnam SC | Colombo | Ceylonese Rugby & Football Club Grounds Sugathadasa Stadium etc. |
|
| Red Stars SC | Ratmalana[2] | Ratmalana | 1.,000 |
| Renown Sports Club | Colombo | Ceylonese Rugby & Football Club Grounds Kelaniya Football Complex Sugathadasa Stadium etc. |
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| Saunders SC | Colombo | Kelaniya Football Complex Sugathadasa Stadium etc. |
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| Solid SC | Anuradhapura | Prison Ground Ceylonese Rugby & Football Club Grounds etc. |
Prison Ground:2,000 |
| Super Sun SC | Dharga Town | Zahira College Ground Kalutara Vernon U Fernando Stadium |
Zahira College Ground:1,000 Kalutara Vernon U Fernando Stadium:2,000 |
| Up Country Lions SC | Nawalapitiya | Jayathilake Stadium |
Previous winners
Champions so far:[3]
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Most Championships
The number of national championships that clubs in Sri Lanka have attained.
| Club |
Number of Championships |
|---|---|
| Saunders SC | 12 |
| Ratnam SC | 5 |
| Renown SC | 4 |
| Colombo FC | 3 |
| Negambo Youth | 2 |
| Defenders (previously Army SC) | 2 |
| Old Bens SC | 1 |
| Pettah United SC | 1 |
| Blue Star SC | 1 |
| Don Bosco SC | 1 |
| Air Force SC | 1 |
| Solid SC | 1 |
| Mawanella United- | 1 |
Sponsorship
The title sponsor of the current season in Dialog. So the league is known as Dialog Champions League.Other than dialog Cargills also sponsor the previous events. The official ball is supplied by Molten. The official broadcast partner is The papare.com.
Stadiums
Most of the clubs in this league haven't any FIFA Standard Stadiums. So most of the matches are played in Sugathadasa Stadium and Kelaniya Football Complex. Some clubs play their matches in their home stadiums which are located in Colombo, Anuradhapura, Kelaniya and Kalutara.
Topscorers
| Year | Best scorers | Team | Goals |
| 2003–04 |  | Blue Star SC | 19 |
| 2006–07 | | Ratnam SC | 24 |
| 2007–08 | | Ratnam SC | 12 |
| 2008–09 | | Renown SC | 13 |
| 2009–10 | | Renown SC | 14 |
| 2014–15 | | Army SC | 26 |
| 2015 | M.C.M. Rifnaz[4] | Renown SC | 9 |
| 2016–17 |  | Renown SC | 11 |
| 2017–18 | | Renown SC | 19 |
References
- https://www.footballgroundmap.com/grounds/sri-lanka/champions-league
- https://www.footballgroundmap.com/grounds/sri-lanka/champions-league
- "Sri Lanka – List of Champions". RSSSF. Retrieved 26 April 2012.
- "Colombo FC wins Dialog Champions League". 6 December 2015. Retrieved 25 June 2016.
External links
| National teams | |
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| League competitions |
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| Cup competitions | |
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