Dubai Sports City announces Dubai Football Challenge

German stars Hamburg SV are one of the showcase teams for the inaugural event - to be held at the Al Maktoum Stadium, Al Nasr Club on 7th and 9th January 2007 - alongside the UAE and Iranian national teams. Talks are currently underway with other major European clubs and the fourth team will be announced shortly. For the UAE, the Dubai Football Challenge will provide its final warm up games before the Gulf Cup.

The Dubai Football Challenge is set to become a regular annual fixture in the Dubai sporting calendar and will ultimately be hosted at Dubai Sports City's 60,000 seat stadium.

The Dubai Football Challenge will form part of The World Series, created by IEP Sports & Leisure on the back of the success of the Amsterdam Football Tournament which has been staged annually in July since 1995 and today attracts 85,000 people and is televised in over 137 countries. The World Series will include events in South Africa, Shanghai, New York and the UK.

Launching the Dubai Football Challenge 2007, Stuart Webb, Chairman of IEP Sports & Leisure, said: "As a proud partner of the Dubai Football Challenge I am delighted to introduce the 'World Series' to the Middle East, and in particular to the wonderful vibrant city of Dubai. Football unites people across the globe and the Dubai Football Challenge brings together a galaxy of teams from different countries for a festival of football that will be seen by a packed stadium and by millions of TV viewers around the world.

'All the participating teams have a rich heritage and tradition and their participation, together with the intriguing mix of national and club teams, will ensure a tournament worthy of the City of Dubai. We are particularly honoured to have the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Dubai Sports Council, for this event."

"I must pay tribute to the professionalism of the organising committee and in particular our partners, Government of Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing and Dubai Sports City, both of whom will make this into a unique occasion for world football."

Khalid Al Zarooni, President of Dubai Sports City, said: "Dubai Sports City is very excited about creating its first major international football event. In line with the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, this tournament will further help to position Dubai as a major global sports destination. Having Government of Dubai Department Tourism and Commerce Marketing as a partner will also ensure that the Dubai Football Challenge is a major success."

He continued: "One of the primary objectives of Dubai Sports City is to stage and host internationally acclaimed events. We are busy building the infrastructure within Dubai Sports City to enable this including four futuristic, state-of-the-art sports stadia and an academies area that will provide training camps for visiting international teams."

"It is important to identify the right global partners with whom to work in order to ensure that these events are successful and we are proud to be working with IEP Sports & Leisure who have a clear and established proven track record in large-scale football event management. The support of Dubai Sports Council will also be invaluable."

The Government of Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing, one of the hosts of the Dubai Football Challenge, is playing a key role in ensuring that the logistics and on-the ground organisation in Dubai including the teams' training camps run smoothly. It is no stranger to hosting large events in Dubai as Hamad Mohamed bin Mejren, Manager of Inward Missions, emphasised at the press conference: "The Dubai Football Challenge is yet another fantastic event we are bringing to Dubai and reinforces
Dubai's role in the development of international sports events in the world today. We are delighted to be on board as one of the key partners for the event."

Mejren added: "Dubai has been acknowledged for a long time as the capital of sports in the Middle East since it has developed world-class, state-of-the-art facilities for sports in the region. It hosts many international sports events every year such as The Dubai Desert Classic, The Dubai Tennis Open, The Dubai World Cup, The Dubai Rugby Sevens and The Dubai Marathon. The Government of Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing consistently supports international events happening in Dubai in its endeavor to promote the emirate as a year-round tourist and leisure destination all over the world."

In the run up to the Gulf Cup, the Dubai Football Challenge provides an excellent training platform for the UAE national team. Mohamed A. Bin Dakhan, General Secretary of the UAE Football Association, said: "We are excited to be involved with the Dubai Football Challenge 2007. The creation of a major annual football event in Dubai is a welcome addition to the sporting calendar and we are keen to support it in every way that we can. At the same time, this event will be crucial preparation for our national team as we prepare to host the Gulf Cup."

Further details of the Tournament, including the match draw and ticket information are due to be announced at the end of November.