Corona League teams have again decided not to take up an invitation from the Bermuda Football Association to enter the FA Challenge Cup competition for the first time this season.

But the BFA remains hopeful the Corona League, now in their fifth season, will have teams join the competition in the future, first vice-president Cal Blankendal said yesterday ahead of the first round draw.

“As of today’s date, the draw date, no Corona team officially contacted the office to say that they wish to be in the FA Cup for 2013-14,” said Blankendal. “We’ll continue to reach out to them, there have been some suggestions how maybe they can offer some of their teams that are winners in some of their various competitions direct entry into the FA Cup.

“The most important thing for the FA Cup is that there are 23 BFA affiliates, 21 playing affiliates and those have direct right of entry to play in the Cup and even though we don’t have the Corona League it does not diminish the FA Cup at all because it is to serve our 21 playing members.”

A total of 17 teams were entered in the draw yesterday after three First Division clubs, former winners Boulevard, Paget and Ireland Rangers, opted out of the competition “for a host of reasons”, according to Blankendal.

“As we know there is a compliance with fees to the Bermuda Football Association to register in all competitions and each club has a right to enter any competition they wish as long as they pay those fees,” Blankendal explained.

“Any club that is not listed here today has made an internal decision not to enter the FA Cup for a host number of reasons and we’re guided by that.

“It’s a right to play in the competition but it’s not a must that you enter each competition, the only must is that you must participate in the league to be eligible for any other competitions.”

In the past Commercial League teams were permitted to enter the FA Cup and their participation created extra intrigue as Commercial teams went up against the teams from the top division. Robin Hood once reached the semi-finals of the competition as a Commercial League team.