Crystal Palace FC, a premier club shattered by Cyclone Ditwah
Crystal Palace Football Club was one of the 12 sides that entered the FSL Champions League 2025/26 when domestic football competitions resumed after a long lapse. Their hopes, obviously as other 11 teams, were high but the opening week’s fixture against Saunders SC ended with an unexpected, heartbreak of 1-0 loss.
But as the Director of Crystal Palace FC, Nizadeen Mohamed Naufer explained, his players and coaching staff were determined to realign their campaign and see through to book one of the two top slots of the Group ‘A’ table by the end of the first round. By the time Crystal Palace FC returned with boosted morale, it was never to be.
The whole of Sri Lanka was devastated by Cyclone Ditwah, and the base of Crystal Palace FC in Gampola, faced total devastation with floods and landslides completely destroying their hopes, as well as their assets. It was not just Crystal Palace FC, their players, and coaching staff that were effected, almost the entire country and the majority of Gampola area.
The losses and damages caused by the aftermath of the merciless Cyclone Ditwah are uncountable, as the young souls of Crystal Palace FC are devastated facing the challenges to be in contention of the FSL Champions League. Crystal Palace FC alone has incurred a loss of beyond Rs. 10 million, but the emotional and morale collapse caused are far beyond the cyclone itself.
To raise their heads again, as one of the top 12 teams of the country’s premier football competition, the club appeals support from the Football Federation of Sri Lanka (FFSL), as they are barely surviving with the funds and support from their community, who are mostly victims of the same wave.
“The players, management and also the sponsors of the club are struggling to remain in the FSL Champions League. In addition to the amount of the damages caused to the club, players, officials and sponsors are dealing with damaged homes and lost belongings,” explained Mohamed Imtishan, the Assistant Secretary of Crystal Palace FC.
In the ongoing FSL Champions League, Crystal Palace FC has five matches remaining to complete their Group ‘A’ commitments. But they are unsure how they could cope up with the remaining fixtures, as the adverse weather has affected the club and its facilities as well as the homes of the management, players, sponsors and their families. Currently, they are surviving with their funds and the internal support, which might not last too long.
“It’s a phase we all should navigate with courage, and at this critical moment, the club’s foremost priority is the wellbeing of those among us who have been hardest hit by the floods. We have actively mobilised our internal resources and outreach networks, while coordinating with local relief initiatives, and recovery support,” said Nizadeen Mohamed Naufer, the Director of Crystal Palace FC.
As other teams of the competition, the club has recruited four foreign players – Nigerians Issac Aba and Lucky Rukawey with Godwin and Micheal Aquca from Ghana, and are currently being well looked after following the shocking incident. However, the hardest obstacle is faced by their set of local players, who are between the age group of 20 to 35, and are facing challenges to balance their tournament goals in addition to the struggle of rebuilding their very own lives.
“Our players from the area, Mohamed Shemak, Mufeed Manzil, Mujaheed Munawwar, Zafran Nasar, Muhammad Farveez and Inam Iqram, have lost their entire homes along with all their sports equipment and belongings,” added Naufer.
According to FFSL findings 12 or more clubs have been effected by Cyclone Ditwah, and Crystal Palace FC is the only club featured in a top tier national competition that has faced major destruction. A week ago, a representative from FIFA was in Sri Lanka on an observation tour, and according to FFSL President, Jaswar Umar, the world body will instruct on further action based upon the report presented by their official.
“We are well aware of the situation, and we have taken every move within our control to support Crystal Palace, as well as through other channels. For now, FFSL will support them and other teams with equipment, gear, and other requirements to see them continue in the competition. The expected relief package from FIFA could come in as a separate and special grant or an official advice to release from the funds of FFSL, or by any other mean, and we are unaware how they will respond. But, we have taken steps from our end, and we can also assure assistance from FIFA in the near future,” Umar stated.
Crystal Palace FC is drafted in Group ‘A’ in the FSL Champions League, alongside Saunders SC, against whom they lost, and New Star SC, Serendib SC, Negombo Youth FC, Java Lane SC and Sri Lanka Transport Board, against whom they will have to play to complete the group fixtures. Their sponsors – MGM, Trade Centre, Sky Wings Travel and Tours, and Eden Park Reception Hall – all businesses based in Gampola, also have been devastated by the cyclone, a situation that may further cripple Crystal Palace FC’s determined riposte to the competition. But according to the club officials, Crystal Palace is ‘down, but not out’.