The competition starts in Thimpu on September 30. The final is slated for October 10. Eight teams, split into two groups, will fight it out.

Abahani began their training in preparation for the competition yesterday afternoon at the club ground after their players returned from a break. All the booters however did not report to coach Amlesh Sen yesterday.

Abahani are looking to include some guest booters from other top clubs to fill the void left by their foreign recruits who departed after the National Football Champion-ship earlier this month. But the Sky Blues might face some problems in that bid as NFL champions Brothers Union and runners up Muktijoddha Sangsad Krira Chakra will both be busy in early October and might not be willing to release Abahani's desired players. Brothers will take part in the Barduloi Trophy in India while Muktijoddha are due to visit Nepal for the ANFA Cup.

Abahani had expressed their interest in Brothers' centre-back Mohammed Sujan and striker Alfaz Ahmed but now they have to look elsewhere. The club is trying to get Mohammedan marksman Ariful Kabir Farhad and a central defender from their arch rivals. Mohamme-dan are not in action until November when they go to India for the Durand Trophy and can afford to lend players.

Arambagh midfielder Arman Azizi, who captained Chittagong Mohammedan in the NFL is one of the players Abahani will hope to take to Bhutan, informed Abahani and Bangladesh Football Federation official Ashrafuddin Ahmed Chunnu.

"It will be a tough competition because Nepal and Bhutan will field their national teams. Kolkata Mohammedan, Indian Army and club teams from Thailand and South Korea have also confirmed their participation," Chunnu said.