Top teams in inaugural edition

1.747890-2580992170 — Alexandre Wacker and Marc Boilley of Matchworld Football SA and Rashid Al Kamali, Director of Marketing and Promotions, Dubai Sports Council, address a press briefing. Image Credit: Ahmed Ramzan/Gulf News

Dubai: The 2009 and 2008 Uefa Cup winners Shakthar Donetsk and Zenit St Petersburg will compete in the inaugural Matchworld Cup at Al Shabab's Maktoum Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Stadium in Dubai from January 20 to 26 — other teams include Sparta Prague, Al Hilal, Piroozi and MSK Zilina.

Swiss-based company, Matchworld Football SA, which organises high-level training camps, tours and tournaments for the likes of world champions Inter Milan and Spain has been approached to organise this showpiece event in order to hone teams on their winter break ahead of important Champions League and Europa League ties, which restart in February.

Ukrainian champions Shakthar have a knockout round with AS Roma to prepare for, while Czech league runners-up Sparta Prague and Russian champions Zenit St Petersburg face Liverpool and Young Boys respectively in the Europa Cup.

Three games each

Saudi champions Al Hilal, Asia's club of the 20th Century and last decade, fill the draw with Iranian Cup winners and Asia's most popular club Piroozi, while Slovakian champions, knocked out from group F of this season's champions league, MSK Zilina more than make up the numbers.

Two groups played in league format will qualify the top two teams to the final, while play-offs for third and fourth, fifth and sixth places will ensure every team gets three games.

Marc Boilley, managing director of Matchworld confirmed the event would become an annual occasion and spoke of his regret that a local side could not take part in the inaugural edition due to the ongoing Etisalat Cup.

Groups and fixtures

GROUP A