Following a short two-month gap, the new football season is set to get underway today through the Independence Cup, which is being held after a three-year hiatus at the Birshreshtha Shaheed Mostafa Kamal Stadium in Kamalapur.

Big-budget sides, especially Bashundhara Kings, Abahani, Sheikh Russel, Saif SC and Sheikh Jamal are expected to progress to the knockout phase without bother as the five giants formed good sides and started preparations early.

The title race is expected to be confined to these five teams although the last six editions of the Independence Cup has seen less fabled teams like Farashganj, Arambagh and Chattagram Abahani surprise giants and take the trophy home.

"Although lightweights have signed good local players, I think they will hardly be able to pose a threat to the title contenders due to a lack of preparation. However, there is always chance of an upset in football," Rahmatganj coach Syed Jilani said, adding that newcomers Swadhinata defeated heavyweights Mohammedan 5-4 in a warm-up match while Rahmatganj, sans their foreign players, lost 0-1 to Abahani in another practice match.

"I believe the giants will not get any guaranteed wins because every club from top to bottom has signed quality foreign players who can change the fate of a match at any time," the former assistant coach of the Bangladesh national team added.

However, some clubs like Mohammedan, Rahmatganj and Sheikh Jamal will not get the services of all four of their foreign players from the beginning of the tournament and may face early blows. Defending champions Bashundhara Kings have been well ahead of other teams in terms of roping in quality foreign players, but their head coach Oscar Bruzon believes the astro-turf is going to make things tough for every participant.

"The Independence Cup will be very demanding, not only because it is season opener but also because of the condition of the turf at Kamalapur and the tough schedule handed to most of the clubs," Bruzon told The Daily Star.

"We have shown consistency for the past three years but now our concern is the upcoming season. We have strengthened and reinforced our squad according to our needs with key players. Those are good reasons to be confident of challenging for all the trophies again," he added.

The inclusion of services team to the Independence Cup also added an extra colour as 41 Bangladesh Premier League players -- including players like Suman Reza, Sohel Rana, Jewel Rana, Shahidul Alam Sohel and Rahmat Mia and former national players like Mamunul Islam, Zahid Hossain and Raihan Hasan -- are set to represent their respective services teams instead of their club sides as they are employees of those services teams like Army, Navy and Air Force.

"Services teams lag behind in terms of foreign players but upsets may happen if we can put our normal performance on the ground," said former national captain Mamunul Islam, who will play for Navy.

"I have just practiced with the team for the last three days. But I will try my level best to perform well for my side," said national striker Suman Reza, who will turn out for Air Force.

Sheikh Russel take on Uttar Baridhara while Sheikh Jamal play against Bangladesh Air Force on the opening day.