Dubai: The return of the Fifa Club World Cup to the UAE in 2017 and 2018 is testament to the country’s infrastructure and will be part of many more events in the build up to Expo 2020, according to Dubai Sports Council deputy chairman Mattar Al Tayer.
Fifa announced the UAE’s winning bid ahead of Brazil, India and Japan on Friday, less than two weeks after the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) awarded the Emirates the 2019 Asian Cup in preference to Iran.
The UAE last hosted the Club World Cup in 2009 and 2010, when it was won by Barcelona and Inter Milan, respectively. Representing the UAE as hosts on those two occasions were then UAE championship winning sides Al Ahli and Al Wahda.
Having first hosted the Asian Cup in 1996, the UAE went on to host both the Fifa Under-20 World Cup in 2003 and the Under-17 World Cup in 2013, charting an impressive track record of events.
Al Tayer said hosting such tournaments highlighted the UAE’s capabilities and would in turn lead to the arrival of more high profile events.
“These achievements were not possible without the leadership’s vision to develop the service and tourist industries and residential sector,” he said.
“There are wonderful facilities and a network of advanced services in transport, communication, education and health sectors, making the UAE a model of human development, which has all contributed toward the hosting of various international events.
“The UAE’s leaders have demonstrated a thoughtful approach for the coming years to attract major events in all fields, and besides the Club World Cup in 2017 and 2018 and Asian Cup in 2019, there will be many more events in different areas leading up to the summit by Dubai’s hosting of Expo 2020.”
Shaikh Hazza Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, National Security Advisor and Honorary Chairman of the UAE Football Association, had earlier lauded the UAE’s Asian Cup and Club World Cup winning bids.
“The UAE will take the world by surprise and beat all expectations when it hosts the three prominent world sports events, which will add another feather to the UAE’s cap,” he said.
