LAHORE: Pakistan Football Federation's 8th Premier League, featuring 12 departmental and four club teams will kick off from July 5 simultaneously in Quetta and Karachi.

The opening day matches will see Muslim FC taking on PMC Athletico FC at the Quetta's Sadiq Shaheed Stadium, while HBL face NAVY at the Peoples Football Stadium, Karachi and KESC will compete with ARMY at KPT Football Stadium in Karachi.

The sixteen teams taking part in the marathon event, which will go on until December 28, are: WAPDA, Khan Research Laboratories (KRL), Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), Karachi Electric Supply Corporation, Army, Karachi Port Trust (KPT), Pakistan Air Force (PAF), Afhan FC, Navy, Pak Electron Company (PEL), Baloch FC, National Bank of Pakistan (NBP), Habib Bank Limited (HBL), Punjab Media College (PMC Athletico FC), Police and Muslim FC.

Out of a total of 240 matches, 70 will be played before Ramadan at 7 venues in four cities all over the country.

The venues approved for holding matches in Karachi comprise Peoples Football Stadium that will host sixteen matches, KPT Football Stadium will host nineteen. Sadiq Shaheed Stadium in Quetta will host 32 matches, Noushki Football Stadium two matches and Government High School Chaman will hose one match.

WAPDA has won the Premier League four times, Army won two times and KRL one time. Each team will play 30 matches on home & away basis.

Each match has a match bonus of Rs. 25,000 and the winner of the league will receive Rs. 600,000 , while the runner-up and third place holder will receive Rs. 400, 000 and Rs. 300, 000 respectively.