Sport | Football
Al Jazira 'honoured' to play host to Clubs World Cup
The Al Jazira Sports and Cultural Club expressed their honour to play host to the Fifa Clubs World Cup in 2009 and 2010, according to a top official.
- By Yasir Abbasher, Senior Reporter
- Published: 00:04 May 30, 2008
- Al Jazira fans at the Mohammad Bin Zayed stadium in Abu Dhabi. Al Jazira will be hosting matches during the Fifa Clubs World Cup in 2009 and 2010.
- Image Credit: Abdul Rahman/Gulf News
Abu Dhabi: The Al Jazira Sports and Cultural Club expressed their honour to play host to the Fifa Clubs World Cup in 2009 and 2010, according to a top official.
Hamad Al Hurr Al Suwaidi, the member of the board of directors and the supervisor of football in the club, told Gulf News yesterday "the Fifa decision to award hosting its Clubs World Cup to the UAE is an honour to the country as a whole and to Al Jazira club in particular.
"Hosting such big international event expresses the confidence of Fifa in the organisational capabilities of our country and its FA and clubs. This confidence is evident when the UAE hosted the Fifa Youth World Cup in 2003 and achieved unprecedented success." Al Suwaidi added.
"The championship will benefit the local game as youngsters will be able to watch the world's best footballers training and competing.
"It is a chance of a life time. We will be keen to bring our young players from the club academy to all the matches and training sessions to see and learn from the players of the world's best clubs from Europe, the Americas, Asia and Africa. It is not only entertaining football it is also a chance to learn."
Taking part
Sepp Blatter, the President of Fifa, attended the official opening of the state of the art Mohammad Bin Zayed Stadium during the 2003 Fifa Youth World Cup and the extensions of the stadium, including the four towers, will be completed by the time of the Clubs World Cup.
"The new extensions will be finished by that time according to the work plan. We will be ready to host a successful event and we hope that Al Jazira will do outstandingly in the Asian Champions League to take part in the event on the field."
Al Jazira is taking part in the ACL for the fist time in the history of the club after finishing second on the league standing this season.
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