Cream of football returns to Abu Dhabi

YOKOHAMA, JAPAN// The hosting of the Fifa Club World Cup has been symbolically handed over from Japan to the UAE. The championship, which pits the winners of each of six continental confederations against each other, will return to the Emirates next year and in 2018.

The UAE previously hosted the event in 2009 and 2010. The handover ceremony took place in the International Stadium Yokohama on Sunday before the final match of the tournament, in which Japan’s Kashima Antlers were beaten 4-2 by Spain’s Real Madrid.

Fifa officials Zvonimir Boban, deputy secretary-general of football, Colin Smith, competitions and events chief, and Kohzo Tashima, president of the Japan Football Association, presented a jersey to Aref Al Awani, general secretary of Abu Dhabi Sports Council, and UAE Football Association secretary general Mohammed Al Dhaheri. Mr Al Dhaheri expressed his happiness and pride that the UAE was hosting the Club World Cup again, reported state news agency Wam. He said that Abu Dhabi had a “vision to be the capital of world sport”.

Mr Al Awani thanked Fifa for giving the UAE the opportunity to host the tournament. “This is a tremendous honour, which the UAE, with its deep rooted love of football and sport, will execute flawlessly,” he said. “We remain single-minded in our commitment to bringing world-class sports events to Abu Dhabi and Al Ain.”