Dubai: A total of 12,890 players representing more than 90 nationalities participated in the 10th Dubai Open Football Academies Tournament (DOFA).

The tournament was organised by the Dubai Sports Council in cooperation with the UAE Football Association and in partnership with Delta Aid Sport, as part of efforts aimed at supporting, nurturing and developing young talent.

Matches were played at ISD Dubai Sports City and across the emirate, with teams contesting 5,299 games over the season in more than 17 sports facilities. The tournament involved 612 teams representing 139 clubs and football academies in Dubai.

Ahmed Salem Al Muhairi, Director of the Sports Talent Department at the Dubai Sports Council, said the council’s focus on youth and academy players aligns with the Dubai Government’s approach to attracting and developing talented people through integrated programmes under the Dubai Sports Sector Strategic Plan 2033.

“The tournament is in line with Dubai’s vision to develop the sports sector and support initiatives to identify and develop talent,” Al Muhairi said, adding that 293 football talents across age categories were honoured during the season.

Individual awards were presented in categories including best player selected by the technical committee, best player selected by the public and best goalkeeper and best coach in each age group. Award recipients listed by organisers included Anthony El Hage (MAK) and Mark Debs (MAK Academy) in the under-7 division, Younes Jalali (AC Milan) and Daniel Zubekhin (BARCA) in under-8, and Mira Berg (DXB State Centre) and Sibelle Farran (PSG) in the under-15 girls category.

Al Muhairi said the Dubai Sports Council organises a series of Dubai Open tournaments annually in cooperation with sports federations under the Dubai Sports Sector Strategic Plan 2033 including events in basketball, swimming, gymnastics, karate, table tennis, tennis, padel tennis and badminton.

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