The major tournament in the local football calendar, the FA Cup 2010 will get underway on March 6, with the participation of 106 teams.

The FA Cup was introduced 23 years ago and it is the 7th consecutive year that the tournament will be worked off under the Holcim brand name.

One of the special features of the tournament is that any team in the country which has not been ranked can make it to the final.

One hundred and five matches are scheduled to be worked off this year, while the tournament will be worked off on knock-out basis. Last year’s top 16 teams will join the tournament at the quarter final stage.

"Let’s turn this country into a football playing nation. That is our target."

Speaking at the media briefing last Wednesday at Football headquarters, Stefan Huber, the CEO of Holcim Lanka who is the sponsor of the tournament said.

The winners will receive Rs. 500,000, while the runners-up will receive Rs. 250,000. In addition to that, teams which make it to the quarter finals will receive Rs. 50,000 each.

Awards will be presented to the Best Player, The Most Valuable Player, the Highest Goal Scorer, the Best Goal Keeper and the Best Fair Play Team.