Proposed Start Date For New Linafoot Season Revealed As Talks Intensify

The Congolese Association Football Federation (FECOFA) has set a new date on which 2020/2021 Linafoot competition can begin following extension deliberations.

Ducor Sports can reveal that talks have taken place between clubs and League officials over the start of the 2020/21 campaign, which would initially be behind closed doors.

It is understood that at a stakeholders meeting on July 23, the clubs playing in the league agreed that the championship shall start five weeks after August 15^th.

A source at FECOFA revealed further that key dates will be announced in due course but the start date will be two weeks before the proposed resumption of Nations Cup qualifiers resumption.

“Club representatives have agreed on a date, which will be communicated by Linafoot to the federal authorities. It has been agreed that the championships resume five weeks after August 15^th,” the source revealed.

“This date should allow clubs to start their preparation schedule according to the rules of the art. It will be Saturday, September 19, 2020, hoping that the pandemic does not interfere again. ”

Although the date may seem wildly optimistic given the current climate amid the coronavirus crisis, clubs expressed their willingness and appetite to get back playing as soon as possible.

The financial implications of clubs having to pay their players and staff and comply with testing and safety procedures with no income from crowds is huge, so it is understood things would have to change to allow those dates to be possible.

FECOFA cancelled the 2019/20 season on May 14 by crowing TP Mazembe as the Linafoot champions after just 20 games played before the novel coronavirus suspended football in the central African country.

The result of the cancellation has also affected the relegation and promotion, with Jeunesse Sportive de Kinshasa and Étoile Jaune of Lubumbashi now set for top-flight football.

TP Mazembe will represent DR Congo in the 20120/21 CAF Champions League and will be joined by AS Vita who finished as runners-up, while Maniema Union and Motema Pembe will fight for Confederation Cup.