DOHA (Qatar): The stage is all set for the 2020-21 season Qatar Stars League with the first round of matches will be played on Thursday and Friday.
The newly-constructed Education City Stadium, Al Gharafa Stadium and Al Ahli Stadium will be the venues. There will be simultaneous kick-offs on both days.
The Week 1 fixtures are Al Kharaitiyat vs Al Sadd (18:15, Education City Stadium), Al Sailiya vs Al Rayyan (18:15, Al Gharafa Stadium), Al Gharafa vs Qatar SC (20:30, Al Gharafa Stadium) on Thursday, Al Duhail vs Umm Salal (18:15, Education City Stadium), Al Ahli vs Al Wakrah (18:15, Al Ahli Stadium) and Al Khor vs Al Arabi (20:30, Al Ahli Stadium) on Friday.
Promoted side Al Kharaitiyat run into strong contenders Al Sadd, who finished third in the recently-concluded 2019-20 season, in one of the first kick-offs.
Al Kharaitiyat earned promotion to the top flight by virtue of being the Second Division champions.
Al Sailiya, who finished fifth in the 2019-20 season, face tough opponents in Al Rayyan, the runners-up in the previous tournament. The Lions (51 points) ended up just one point adrift of champions Al Duhail.
Al Gharafa will be on a high, having just finished in the fourth position and earned a berth in the Qatar Cup, when they face Qatar SC, who were placed eighth.
Al Duhail start defence of their league shield against Umm Salal, who escaped relegation play-off by finishing 10th with 18 points, one more than Al Khor, who then beat Second Division runners-up Al Markhiya in the play-off.
The play-off pitted 11th-placed team in the QNB Stars League against Second Division runners-up of 2019-20 season.
Al Ahli, placed ninth, face Al Wakrah, who ended up a creditable sixth, while Al Khor are up against Al Arabi, who finished in the seventh position.
