UAE to bid for 2017 and 2018 Fifa Club World Cup

Dubai: The UAE has announced its intention to bid for the hosting of the Fifa Club World Cup in 2017 and 2018, according to the Fifa website.

Abu Dhabi twice held the seven-team format to decide the champion of the world’s six annual continental club championships in 2009 and 2010, when it was won by Barcelona and Inter Milan.

Dubai’s Al Ahli and then Abu Dhabi’s Al Wahda represented the UAE as the host nation’s domestic champion in those events.

On this occasion the UAE is up against Brazil and Japan for the bid, which must be confirmed by August 25. Fifa will announce the winner in September.

Brazil have staged the event once in 2000 — in its inaugural year — before Japan held it six times; four-times in succession after a five-year hiatus from 2005 to 2008 and again in 2011 and 2012. Morocco, who held the competition for the first time last year, continue their back-to-back hosting into 2014.

Meanwhile, India and Japan have also announced their intention to bid for the 2015 and 2016 editions of the tournament.

The UAE is also planning a bid for the 2017 Fifa Beach Soccer World Cup, according to Fifa. However, they will have to fight off competition from 11 other countries including; Argentina, Bahamas, Brazil, the Cayman Islands, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Germany, Trinidad and Tobago, and the USA.

Bids must be confirmed by October 1, with a decision set for this December. The Fifa Beach Soccer World Cup was last held in the UAE in 2009.

The UAE has gained international recognition for hosting Fifa tournaments following the 2009 Fifa Under-20 World Cup and 2013 Fifa Under-17 World Cup.