Oman excited about friendly against Brazil

Muscat: The friendly against Brazil on November 17 is expected to give soccer in Oman a further boost as the Oman Football Association's charismatic chief, Sayyid Khalid Bin Hamad Bin Hamoud Al Busaidi, keeps looking for innovative ideas to take soccer to new heights in the sultanate.

"To be successful, we have to be creative and must grab opportunities with both hands," Sayyid Khalid told Gulf News while introducing a host of sponsors for the Oman-Brazil match to be played at the Sultan Qaboos Stadium on Tuesday.

The private sector as well as the Ministry of Tourism has come forward to back the match that is billed as the most expensive sports event ever held in Oman.

Without divulging the actual cost, the OFA President revealed that the association had covered its cost thanks to the support of sponsors and unprecedented sale of tickets in the higher class.

"We have already sold the higher classes of 50 and 25 Omani riyals and sale is brisk for the five riyal tickets," he added.

He hoped that the private sector support would continue for the game beyond the friendly, but Hani Al Zubair of Zubair Corporation, a big corporate house in Oman, blamed lack of interest among the spectators for the clubs.

"When it comes for the national team matches we corporate sector get value for money but same is the not case when we back local teams," he pointed out.

However, Sayyid Khalid was confident that the Brazil match was a step forward in bringing more and more private sector companies to the fold and support the most popular sport in the country.

"We have seen that private sector has realised the potential of value for supporting football in the country," he said.

"This exemplary backing shows that we can do more in developing the game in the country," he enthused, while praising the sponsors for backing such a big footballing event.

Sayyid Khalid, who has brought big names and big success for the game since he first got associated with football as Fanja Club president, promised that there was more to come.