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Aiming high
Organisers of the new UAE Football League say they want it to be the best in Asia as the country's first professional season gets under way tomorrow with the Super Cup.
- By Alaric Gomes, Senior Reporter
- Published: 22:59 September 12, 2008
- Organisers of the UAE Football League unveil the trophy at a ceremony on Thursday. They say they want the competition to become the best in Asia.
- Image Credit: Arshad Ali/Gulf News
Dubai: Organisers of the new UAE Football League say they want it to be the best in Asia.
The first season of professional football in the UAE kicks-off tomorrow with the Super Cup encounter between league champions Al Shabab and President's Cup winners Al Ahli at the Maktoum Stadium of on Sunday.
Ahead of the opening game, the new UAE Football League (UFL) was officially launched at a ceremony on Thursday night.
Hamad Bin Brook, the chairman of the UFL, said: "We will not be satisfied by just fulfilling the objectives of the AFC, but we want this to be the best league in Asia."
He reiterated the belief of the country's leaders of using sport, and football in particular, to help develop the youth of the nation.
"Keeping this in mind the UFL has been keen in defining a clear strategy from the start of the professional league so that the quality of the competitions is enhanced," stated Bin Brook.
The league has been promoted as "the beginning of a new football era for the UAE" and will be run with money from television rights, sponsors and spectators.
History of the game
The history of football in the UAE goes back to 1973 when the first competition was held.
"And after 35 years we have decided to turn professional as per the directives and mandate from the Asian Football Confederation (AFC)," said Romy Gai, the new CEO of the UFL.
Setting up the league has been smooth so far with television rights bringing in Dhs350 million over a five-year period.
In addition, Etisalat has paid Dhs 250 million for the right to be title sponsor over the same period of time.
"There have been other sponsors who are keen to come aboard.
"That means more money for the UFL and in turn, for the clubs," stated Gai.
The inaugural season, which will run from this month until May next year, will see 12 clubs taking part with four each from Dubai and Abu Dhabi, three from Sharjah and one from Ajman.
This season will also see a brand new competition launched in the form of the League Cup which has a unique format of three round-robin matches of four teams each. The next stage will be the semifinals and the final.
Another new competition will be the UFL Challenge League for youth and reserve players.
Matches for this competition will be played the day after the UFL Championship games with the same clubs facing-off.
The final of the competition will be played in a smaller city with the goal of promoting the sport there.
Full coverage
There will be full coverage of matches in a weekly English-language magazine. The transmission rights will be owned solely by the Abu Dhabi and Dubai Sports Channels.
Ttile sponsors Etisalat said they were pleased to be involved with the first professional league in the UAE.
Nasser Bin Aboud of Etisalat said: "At Etisalat, it has been our social responsibility to back such initiatives.
"Sponsoring the UAE league for the past three years has been a rewarding experience That is why we decided to extend our contract by another five years," he added.
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