The first match of the season's curtain raiser is scheduled to kick off at 2:15 pm.

Brothers, the Gopibagh-based club who have never won the Premier League title, stole the limelight last month when they signed up the bulk of the national team players including captain Rajani Kanta Barman for this season from three major clubs Mohammedan SC, Abahani KC and Muktijoddha Sangsad.

The club also boasts star players like Mohammad Sujon, Nazrul Islam, Alfaz Ahmed, Firoz Mahmud Hossain Titoo, Monwar Hossain, Iqbal Hossain, Parvez Babu and Liton.

Following the formation of the team that cost around seven to eight million taka, the club had a residential training camp at BKSP before coming into the Federation Cup.

In contrast, Dipali Jubo Sangha are new comers on the big boys' stage thanks to their runners-up showing in the Second Division last year.

A total of 21 teams are taking part in the preliminary round in two groups.

The champions and runners-up teams from each group will join four semifinalists of last year Moha-mmedan SC, Abahani KC, Mukti-joddha Sangsad and Dhanmondi Club in the second round robin league.

Apart from Kamalapur, organiser of the tournament Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) will also use the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur for the tournament.

The following 21 teams are taking part in the first round:

GROUP A: Arambagh KS, Bangladesh Army, Prantik KC, Brothers Union, Diplai JS, Wari Clib, Bangladesh Police, Dhaka Wanderes Club, Farashganj SC and Victoria SC.

GROUP B: Sheikh Russell KC, BRTC SC, Under-20 youth team, Mahakhali Ekadash, Bangladesh Navy, Sadharan Bima, Badda Jagarani, Agrani Bank, Bangladesh Air Force, YMC Fakirerpool and Rahmatganj MFS.