Dhaka, May 29: The Grameen Danone Nations Cup 2010 qualifiers will kick-off tomorrow across eight venues in the country.

Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) is organising the 10-12 years tournament with thirty-nine district teams taking part in the qualifying rounds in eight venues: Gazipur, Rajbari, Meherpur, Bagerhat, Brahmanbaria, Thakurgaon, Sirajganj and Barisal. Competition at six venues starts tomorrow while the Brahmanbaria and Gazipur zonal matches will start on Monday.

The eight zonal champions will play in the final round in Dhaka starting from June 7 with the champions making it to the Danone Nations Cup in South Africa from September 29 to October 4.

Forty-five teams from as many nations will play in the finals in Johannesburg alongside last year’s 40 finalists who were billed for the 2009 tournament in Brazil but had to wait as the tournament had been postponed due to an outbreak of swine flu. This year’s winning team from Bangladesh will accompany last year’s champions Khulna.

The BFF coaches have already visited the eight venues to determine the age of booters.

“This year we are very strict about the age limit as there were complaints on this issue last year,” said BFF executive committee member and co-ordinator of the tournament Fazlur Rahman Babul in a press conference at the BFF house today.

 “Children will learn to interact and dream bigger through this involvement. I welcome all the teams and my good wishes will be with them,” said Zulfiqer Ali Siddique, National Sales Director of title sponsors Grameen Danone Foods Limited, who are providing just over Tk 12 lakh.