Abu Dhabi: Manchester City Women’s Football Club are returning to Abu Dhabi for their 2016 pre-season training camp alongside Melbourne City Women’s FC.
The City Football Group sister clubs will face each other in the Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Sports Academy Challenge on Wednesday, February 17, at New York University Abu Dhabi Campus.
The fixture will be broadcast live at 6pm on both clubs’ online channels and on Abu Dhabi Sports 1.
Both teams have enjoyed recent success, with Melbourne City crowned Westfield W-League Premiers and Champions, and Manchester City qualifying for the Uefa Women’s Champions League for the first time in late 2015.
As part of MCWFC Pre-Season Training supported by Aabar, the UAE’s under-14 women’s team together with the UAE Women’s Football Committee will participate in a series of technical football clinics delivered by coaches from Manchester City Women. During the sessions, participants will have the opportunity to train with, and learn from, professional female footballers who play at the highest level of the women’s game.
Facilitated through the Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies’ Sports Academy, UAE medical and sports science practitioners will shadow experts from Manchester City Women to further study techniques and skills that can be incorporated into their working practice to benefit a host of female athletes.
For the second successive year Aabar Investments logo will be featured on the training kit of Manchester City Women’s FC. The organisation also continues to support City Football Schools, Manchester City Football Club’s network of international Academies.
Commenting on the visit, Gavin Makel, Head of Women’s Football at Manchester City, said: “In addition to working with Aabar and FMBA in inspiring more girls to play football, this training camp will be ideal preparation for MCWFC ahead of their inaugural season in the Uefa Women’s Champions League. It will also be a fitting end to a memorable season for our newly crowned W-League champions, Melbourne City Women’s FC”.
Raysa Al Ketbi, Operations Manager, Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies’ Sports Academy, added: “As our main focus, we look to ensure that sport is an element of daily life for women in the UAE, and so we are extremely pleased that the UAE women’s football community will have the chance to partner with and learn from two elite women’s teams that play at the highest international level. We hope that their visit culminating in the FBMA Challenge will encourage even more girls and women to participate in football, which has already become an emblematic sport in our nation”.
Khaleefa Ahmad Al Mehairi, Business Support Director at Aabar Investments, said: “Aabar Investments is thrilled to be able to continue its support of Manchester City Women’s Football Club in bringing them back to Abu Dhabi for their second pre-season, in line with our commitment to empowering female athletes here in the UAE and globally. We are proud that our relationship with the club can benefit the UAE Women’s national team.”