Sharjah junior football tourney to get bigger

Second edition of annual Under-14 competition to have four new teams this year

Four new teams will line up for the second edition of the Rich Target Ramadan Under-14 Football that is scheduled for kick-off from May 17.

Last year, 10 under-14 teams from across the UAE participated in the inaugural edition that was held under the patronage of the Sharjah Sports Council.

The nine-a-side tournament that will have a prize purse of Dh100,000 will conclude with the final on May 23.

This year, there will be 14 teams in the fray for top honours, and organisers are expecting a couple of teams from Kuwait to make the trip as well. Matches will be held daily from 9pm till midnight so that teams can observe the Holy Month of Ramadan while participating in the tournament.

The draw for the competition will take place on May 17 and matches will be held at the Sharjah Club and Sharjah

The nine-a-side tournament that will have a prize purse of Dh100,000 will conclude with the final on May 23.

National Park along the Sharjah International Airport road.

Last year, Youth Centre Sharjah were crowned champions. “The main idea behind organising such a tournament is to provide an ideal opportunity for young footballers to sharpen their skills,” chief organiser Tareq Salim Abdullah Saeed Al Khanbashi, said.

“As football remains one of the UAE’s most dominant sports, there is no better platform to engage with our youth and bring them closer through sport. We are looking forward to some great clashes between teams from the UAE and Kuwait,” he added.

The event is sponsored by Huff and Puff Restaurant with support from Sharjah Cement Factory, Leader Aluminium, Sadaf Restaurant and Al Hamad Building Contracting Company.