MUMBAI: Sri Lankan Airlines has tied up with the Elite Football League of India (EFLI) as the airline partner of the professional American football league.

As part of the deal, Sri Lankan Airlines will fly down the Indian and Pakistani teams and their American coaches and medical teams to ensure the success of the event.

Sri Lankan Airlines chairman Nishantha Wickremasinghe said, “With this partnership a new chapter unfolds in Sri Lanka’s field of sports with American Football League being played here for the very first time and even more significantly the first ever such tournament to be played in South Asia, of which I am certain will dazzle the sports loving Lankans and our neighbors in the sub-continent.

Eight teams will take part, five of which are from India, two from Sri Lanka and one from Pakistan which will see over 180 players in action.

Ten Sports will telecast later all the 31 matches that the first season for the EFLI will have. The tournament will be held from 25 July-25 August in Sri Lanka.

EFLI co-CEO Richard Whelan said, "This new relationship with Sri Lankan Airlines is a significant achievement for the EFLI. Team EFLI is delighted and very appreciative that Sri Lankan Airlines, such a powerful and winning organization has agreed to unite with the EFLI. The EFLI platform through Ten Sports is a perfect communication highway to reach Sri Lankan’s target audience at very reasonable rates."