FIFA Club World Cup: Egypt giants Al Ahly praise Abu Dhabi Cricket’s football facilities

Dubai: Reigning CAF Champions League holders and record Egyptian champions Al Ahly heaped praise on Abu Dhabi Cricket’s footballing facilities ahead of their third-place showdown with Al Hilal at the ongoing FIFA Club World Cup UAE 2021.

The tournament has been taking place in Abu Dhabi over the past fortnight, with both Al Ahly and Tahiti champions A.S. Pirae training at Abu Dhabi Cricket during the competition.

Al Ahly’s visit to the emirate’s premier sports hub allowed coach Pitso Mosimane and his team to step up their preparations for the penultimate match of the competition today.

Khaled Mortagy, the club’s treasurer, board member and head of delegation during the FIFA Club World Cup UAE 2021, said it was the perfect place for the team to train.

“The facilities at Abu Dhabi Cricket are outstanding, they’re world-class. The training field is really good and the facilities are great. I would definitely recommend everybody to come here, whether they’re participating in the tournament or even coming to do a training camp,” said Mortagy, who was also left impressed by the sheer volume of sport on offer at Abu Dhabi Cricket.

“You have a lot of activities that can happen at this complex. I’m seeing a lot of things happening, people are playing everything! They’re playing padel, tennis, football, it’s great.”

As well as hosting major international cricket events, such as the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, the VIVO Indian Premier League, Pakistan Super League. Abu Dhabi T10 and many more, Abu Dhabi Cricket is a hub for local and international sport of all kinds.

The New Zealand national team trained at the venue in November 2021 and January 2022, while there are a total of seven full-sized grass football pitches, four 11-a-side artificial pitches and eight five-a-side cages on site that cater for football all-year round.