Big crowds at football fiesta set an example to UAE clubs

Dubai: It was the first time that Al Wasl stadium has been filled with 15,000 spectators, it happened during the Mohammad Bin Rashid International Football Championship in the match between Inter Milan and Ajax Amsterdam on Saturday night.

The two teams have thousands of supporters who crammed into the stadium without leaving an empty seat. It is also expected that the arena will be full for the final between Internacional of Brazil and Inter Milan tonight.

The supporters wearing the two teams' shirts and flags, singing all the time, made a real football atmosphere, as if the match was played in the San Siro or the Amsterdam Arena.

"We didn't see a bigger crowd like this from the day our stadium was opened 28 years ago. It was a football festival and I hope our local matches become like this," said one of the Al Wasl supporters who was happy with the Italian, Dutch, Brazilian and German fans.

If we turn to the local scene, we will see empty stadiums in most of the league matches with crowds of not more than two or three thousands and sometimes less, going to watch the local league matches.

When a footballer plays in an almost empty stadium, we can not ask him to perform excellently because the supporters when filling the stadiums are like the fuel which stirs up his talents and skills. However.

Playing in front of an empty stand makes him feel as if he is doing a training session without any enthusiasm.

But why are the UAE soccer supporters not attending matches, and stadiums are empty in most of the league matches?

Some clubs like Al Wasl, Al Wahda and Al Ain have big crowds, but they still do not fill their stadiums. Although most clubs allow their supporters to enter for free, expatriates who filled the Al Wasl stadium paid for their tickets.

However, this will be a big problem when the FA introduces the professional league next season, which needs the full stadiums which the Asian Football Confederation has asked for.

When a footballer plays in an empty stadium, we can not ask him to perform excellently because supporters are like fuel which stirs up his talents.