The 23rd National Football Division begins on July 27. As the previous years, the competition brought together 12 teams that own a national license. In the first stage in two days, Rapid meets FC Costuleni, Sheriff - Zimbru, Academia - Dinamo-Auto, Olimpia – Veris, Dacia - FC Tiraspol, while Milsami – Speranta, IPN reports.

Sheriff Tiraspol is a favorite for wining the title. The ‘black yellows’ spent large sums of money this summer to sign goalkeepers Georgi Georgiev from Bulgaria and Vjekoslav Tomic from Croatia, fullbacks Djibril Paye from Guinea and Willian Celestino da Silva from Brazil, Brazilian halfbacks Jhulliam Bonfim Santos Pires, Cadu, Fernando Gomes de Jesus, and Ricardo Cavalcante Mendes, and Bulgarian striker Ismail Isa, and to contract Spanish coach Juan Ferrando. Sheriff already qualified for the Champions League preliminaries, where it will play Dinamo Zagreb, Croatia.

In the national championship, Sheriff’s opponents are Dacia Chisinau and Zimbru Chisinau, as usual. The last holders of Moldova’s Cup Milsami Orhei and FC Tiraspol will also become involved in the struggle for medals. Both of them competed in the Europa League this season and Milsami qualified for the third stage.

Veris Chisinau will definitely be the surprise of the National Division. The Division A champion and finalist of Moldova’s Cup the previous season signed the national squad players Petru Racu, Anatol Doros and Alexandru Antoniuc. Romanian coach Danut Oprea managed to create a powerful opponent for the favorites.

Rapid Ghidighici, FC Costuleni, and Dinamo-Auto Tiraspol have more homogenous teams, while Olimpia Balti and Academia Chisinau will count on the juniors under 21. Coach Oleg Bejenari left Speranta Crihana Veche, one of the laggards of the last season, and it’s not yet known who will train the team.

The National Division closes on May 21, 2014. Over years, Sheriff won 12 titles of Moldova’s champion, Zimbru – 8, while Dacia and Constructorul by one.