Great news for the futsal community, which could have a new "brother" since the incoming sport season. We are talking about the United Arab Emirates Football Association's aim to launch a futsal league on next October. As reported to Futsalplanet.com by Sarmad Al-Zadjaly, member of the league organizing committee, an introductory conference will be held on next June 21st by invitations. In the middle of August the UAE FA should officially confirm and announce the birth of the futsal league, in the meanwhile FA local web site (let's remind that in some weeks should be on line a portal exclusively dedicated to the futsal competition on the japanese F league model) has released the 32 registered clubs that will enter a preliminary stage on next October 2009: it will work as selection for the top 12 teams that will characterize the first ever UAE Futsal League since February 2010 on a semi-pro level.
The local futsal committe plans are supposed to turn the tournament into professional in about 3-5 years with each club making income revenue from the futsal organization.

Also, the UAE Futsal league will be broadcasted live on TV: Abu Dhabi sport channel, Dubai sports channel and SHJ channel 2 are interested in showing the league live and final stages of negotiations for the TV rights are currently in progress.

In addition there will be played an amateur league (also dedicated to non-UAE clubs) in order for more clubs to have a chance to
play in a smaller scale league, where they might be seen by the top clubs and maybe sign a pro-deal.

Futsal season will kick off with a Ramadan tournament taking place in Sharjah in August 2009, that will represent the main place for clubs to select their players. Also from this tournament the UAE FA will run the amateur league which will is going to happen in November and December 2009.

As far as we know, one of the first foreign players to join United Arab Emirates should be Cacau, former Kairat Almaty.







Posted by Luca Ranocchiari --> luca.ranocchiari@futsalplanet.com