Sadeqi excited as new UAE Beach Soccer League swings into action

Dubai: National team star Qambhar Sadeqi believes the introduction of the new UAE Beach Soccer League will further strengthen the game here.

"This is an exciting time for beach soccer with the start of the league," Sadeqi told Gulf News.

"Not only will we have more talent coming in, we will also be in a better position to engage the entire community in the development of the sport here."

The new league — announced yesterday by Dr Ahmad Sa'ad Al Sharif, Secretary-General of Dubai Sports Council, Ali Omar from DSC and Capital Marketing's Umang Suri — features 14 teams in action at three venues from February 17.

The teams have been divided into zones with Fujairah Club hosting Dibba Al Hisn, Masafi, Al Khaleej and Ittihad Kalba.

The Sharjah matches will be held at the Al Hamriya Club and will feature Al Arabi, Ajman and the hosts, while matches in Dubai will be at Al Mamzar Park with Al Wasl, Al Nasr, Al Shabab, Dubai Club, Hatta Club and Al Ahli battling it out.

A lot of hard work

National team coach Marcelo Mendes has been working closely with manager Badr Hareb to ensure each of the clubs in Dubai have experienced players to benefit the younger ones involved.

"A lot of hard work has gone into forming this league and we have involved the UAE Football Association and the sports councils from the other emirates," Dr Al Sharif said.

"The Abu Dhabi region is still in the initial stages and hopefully we will have a separate competition for that region in the near future."

Teams will play each other in a round-robin format. After the preliminary rounds, three teams from the Dubai and Fujairah regions will join two qualifiers Sharjah region in the last eight. All matches from then onwards will be held in Dubai from April 13.

In addition to the league, another two competitions have been organised, namely the UAE Beach Soccer Cup in September and the Beach Soccer Super Cup featuring the winner of the other two events on October 17.

The details of both these competitions will be announced in due course.

Along with Japan, the UAE is one of the more consistent performers of the beach soccer nations in Asia, qualifying for the Fifa Beach Soccer World Cup on three occasions — in 2007 and 2008 as champions of Asia, and then in 2009 as the hosts.

The UAE has been organising the Asian qualifiers for the Fifa Beach Soccer World Cup since 2006 under the patronage of Shaikh Hamdan Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of Dubai Sports Council.

Draw:

Fujairah region: (Playing at Fujairah Club) Fujairah Club; Dibba Al Hisn; Masafi Club; Al Khaleej Club; Ittihad Kalba.

Sharjah region: (Playing at Al Humriya Club) Al Arabi Club; Ajman Club; Al Humriya Club

Dubai region: (Playing at Al Mamzar Park) Al Wasl Club; Al Nasr Club; Al Shabab Club; Dubai Club; Hatta Club; Al Ahli Club.