Soccer: Knights in Brisbane for A-League opener

The New Zealand Knights will play the Queensland Roar in Brisbane when the inaugural A-League soccer championship kicks off in August.

The official draw for the eight-team, 21-round championship was announced in Sydney today, with the Knights to play their opener at Suncorp Stadium on August 28.

Their first home game is a week later at North Harbour Stadium against Sydney FC on September 2.

The top four teams will qualify for the semifinals which begin from February 10 next year and run for four weeks. There will be home and away semi finals followed by a preliminary final and a grand final on March 4.

A pre-season challenge tournament from July 22 to August 10 will provide the platform for the season.

While most of the matches will be played on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, some trial of Thursday nights will take place and one Monday night game.

No games will be played at the same time and no team will have to play more than two games in a row away from home.

- NZPA