Al Ain FC and Maccabi Haifa to play two friendlies
Al Ain FC, a football team from the Emirati city of the same name, and Israel's Maccabi Haifa, two of the most successful clubs in their respective leagues, will play two friendly matches, the first of their kind since the two countries normalised relations following the signing of the Abraham Accords in September last year.
The announcement by the two clubs came during the virtual signing of a memorandum of understanding in the presence of Al Ain Club Investment Company board chairman Mohamed Thaloob al-Derei and Maccabi Haifa Club chairman Yagoub Shahar, along with other executives.
"The agreement will consolidate the policy of building bridges and cooperation between the two great clubs in various fields, including marketing, technical cooperation, investment, commercial activities, media and sport to embody the values of peaceful coexistence, tolerance, acceptance and human brotherhood," said Thaaloob al-Derei.
"I congratulate here all stakeholders in this historic partnership. And I take this opportunity to reaffirm our commitment to the principles of our moderate religion and to continue the focus of our wise leadership," he added, stressing the key role of sports in promoting tolerance and peace among all peoples of the world.
The dates of the two friendly matches are not yet known, but it is known that the first will take place at the Al-Ain stadium and the second in the Israeli city of Haifa.
The president of the Maccabi Haifa Club, was pleased to "witness this important moment in the history of the Israeli and Emirati game, and for sports in general."
"I have always believed that it was possible to develop friendly relations through sport. This memorandum of understanding creates a relationship that will include collaborations on both the sporting and business sides," he added.
In December last year, the UAE and Israeli football federations signed a cooperation agreement, the first between the two nations, aimed at promoting closer sporting ties, benefiting from each other's experiences and enhancing cooperation between the federations.
The agreement included the holding of friendly matches between national teams and private clubs, the creation of joint workshops for technical members and the launch of initiatives to help promote football in both countries.
The event, which was attended by FIFA president Gianni Infantino, came on the heels of other deals in the sporting arena such as the acquisition of a 50 per cent stake in Israeli club Beitar by Emirati Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Nahyan.
Also at the end of December, Infantino travelled to Dubai to participate in the International Sports Conference held in the city, specifically in the Burj Khalifa skyscraper. The event has been held since 2006 and discusses issues related to the development of sport at national, regional and international level.
