50 DAYS TO GO!.. HOST STADIUMS IN ABU DHABI AND AL AIN RECEIVE GREEN LIGHT FOR FIFA CLUB WORLD CUP UAE 2018

It’s game on as Abu Dhabi’s Zayed Sports City Stadium and Al Ain’s Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium pass inspection and prepare to welcome world’s best club sides in December
Secure your seats, starting from just AED 25

The final countdown is on. Today marks 50 days until the FIFA Club World Cup UAE 2018 kicks off on 12 December. Coinciding with this milestone, FIFA earlier this month gave the green light to the two host stadiums in Abu Dhabi and Al Ain as the UAE continues its preparations to welcome the best club sides on the planet.

Abu Dhabi’s famous Zayed Sports City Stadium and Al Ain’s state-of-the-art Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium can now put the finishing touches on preparations for the world’s leading players to take the field, after passing an inspection carried out by the FIFA delegation.

The two venues, already world-class arenas in their own right, were put through a thorough examination, passing key tests across several criteria in order to be confirmed as host stadiums for the seven-team, eight-match tournament, which runs from 12-22 December.

The FIFA team inspected the two stadia as part of its ongoing work with the Local Organizing Committee (LOC), collaborating across several areas including safety, security, structural and technical measures, access control, TV, media, marketing and all areas linked to the competition.

The stadium approvals marked the beginning of the 50-day countdown as excitement builds for the return to the UAE of defending champions Real Madrid CF (as UEFA Champions League winners), and the continental kings from FIFA’s confederations: CONCACAF (North and Central America and the Caribbean), CAF (Africa) AFC (Asia), OFC (Oceania) and CONMEBOL (South America).

“Today marks a milestone moment as we build towards an exciting 11-days of world-class tournament football in December. Zayed Sports City and Hazza Bin Zayed Stadiums offer fans a great atmosphere and an unforgettable experience. Passing the inspection means they can now put the finishing touches on preparations to give teams, supporters and tournament stakeholders a truly world-class competition,” said His Excellency Aref Al Awani, Tournament Director LOC, FIFA Club World Cup UAE 2018.

With a seating capacity of 43,000, Zayed Sports City Stadium is the largest stadium in the UAE. The Abu Dhabi venue will host the FIFA Club World Cup UAE 2018 tournament final, as well as the semi-final between Real Madrid CF and the winners of the match between CONCACAF champions CD Guadalajara and AFC Champions League winners on 19 December, followed by the third place play-off and final on 22 December.

Al Ain’s Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium is a 25,000 seat, state-of-the-art stadium and home to the tournament’s host team Al Ain FC. Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium will stage the tournament opener between Al Ain FC and OFC champions Team Wellington FC on 12 December, followed by the AFC champions vs CD Guadalajara match on the 15 December and the quarter-final between the CAF (African) champions and the winners of the first match.