Kigali, Aug 7 (IANS): The 2020-21 Rwanda Premier League season will start in October, the Rwanda Football Federation (FERWAFA) has announced months after the early close of the previous season due to COVID-19.

"The FERWAFA Executive Committee Meeting held on July 31, 2020 approved the competition calendar whereby the Rwanda Premier League season 2020-2021 is tentatively planned to kick-off on October 30, 2020 and climax on May 20, 2021," the governing body said in a statement on Thursday, reports Xinhua news agency.

The 2020-21 season calendar composes of competitions for the 2019/2020 season that were postponed due to the COVID-19 outbreak in the country, including the second division men's league play-offs, and the first and second division women's league, said the statement.

The postponed matches will be played in a single knock-out format at a yet to be named venue in the capital while respecting measures put in place to fight COVID-19 Pandemic, it added.

The second division men's league season 2020-2021 will start from October 31, 2020 and end on May 29, 2021, according to FERWAFA.

The women's first division league is planned to kick-off on Feb. 19, 2021 and climax on July 31, 2021 while the women's second division league will be played from Feruary. 20 to July 24, 2021, it added.

The football body said that the competition calendar is subject to change due to measures put in place by the government of Rwanda to fight against the COVID-19 pandemic and the Confederation of African Football (CAF) competitions calendar for 2021 Season.

Rwanda Patriotic Army (APR) football club was crowned champions for the 2019/2020 Rwanda Premier League season on May 22, as they topped the table with a seven-point advantage at match day 23 of the 30-game season following the cancellation of the league due to the COVID-19 pandemic.