Abu Dhabi: The UAE Football Association will be submitting its bid to host the 2009 and 2010 editions of the Fifa Club World Cup championship to Fifa in Zurich tomorrow.
Unveiling the website to promote the bid, UAE FA President Mohammad Khalfan Al Rumaithi said the Government had pledged its full support to the bid, which will bring the champion clubs of every continent to Abu Dhabi if the bid is successful.
The Fifa Club World Cup, formerly known as the Fifa Club World Championship, is an annual event contested between the champion clubs from the six continental confederations - AFC (Asia), CAF (Africa), Uefa (Europe), CONMEBOL (South America), CONCACAF (North America & others) and OFC - Oceania (New Zealand & others).
The event is being held in Japan, but in 2007, Fifa decided that an open tender for the bidding process for the 2009 edition onwards will be in place, which has triggered off Abu Dhabi's interest in bringing the world's best clubs to the UAE.
"We will ensure that these championships leave a positive impression in everyone's mind. We have sufficient experience in hosting many international, continental and regional championships with the Fifa World Youth Championship in 2003, followed by the Gulf Cup among them," said Al Rumaithi.
Other contenders
The 2008 edition, which will be held in Tokyo, will have a total of prize money of $16.5 million.
The winners will take home $5 million, second-placed team receive $4 million, third-placed $2.5 million, fourth-placed $2 million, fifth-placed $1.5 million, sixth-placed $1 million and the seventh-placed $500,000.
Australia are reportedly one of the other countries which may bid for the event, while Portugal had also evinced interest.
Shaikh Abdullah Bin Mohammad Bin Khalid Al Nahyan, along with top football officials including former Fifa referee Ali Bu Jsaim, were present at the Emirates Palace Hotel yesterday when Abu Dhabi's bid was formally announced under the banner, "Football is blossoming in Abu Dhabi."
