Leading official Mohammed Hazzam is confident the UAE can “raise the bar” if they win the right to host the 2019 Asian Cup.
The AFC are set to announce the location of the next tournament on March 9, with the UAE up against a rival bid from Iran.
Inspectors visited the Emirates earlier in February and were impressed by the country’s ever-improving portfolio of stadia.
Australia received widespread praise for their hosting of the recently-concluded 2015 Cup but Hazzam, the acting Secretary General of the Football Association, believes the UAE are even capable of topping their efforts.
“We congratulate Australia on hosting the recent Asian Cup, they did a good job and everything was fine – but I think we will do a good job here in the UAE,” he said.
The UAE last held the tournament in 1996 with the host nation beaten on penalties by Saudi Arabia in the final at Abu Dhabi’s Zayed Sports City.
That tournament comprised 12 nations and just two other venues – Al Ain’s Tahnoun Bin Mohamed Stadium and Al Nasr’s Al-Maktoum Stadium – were used to host matches. Since then the tournament has grown to 16 teams, while in 2019 there will be 24 teams competing for glory.
Should the UAE be successful in claiming hosting rights a total of six stadiums will be used: The Mohammed Bin Zayed Stadium and Zayed Sports City Stadium in Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Khalifa International Stadi um and Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium in Al Ain, Dubai International Cricket Stadium, and a new 60,000-seater stadium at Dubai Sports City to be completed by 2018.
“In 1996 we hosted the event and we did a good job,” added Hazzam. “Today we want to host again and we are willing to raise the bar to have an even better competition in 2019.”
Mahdi Ali’s UAE side were superb in their run to the 2015 semi-finals Down Under, but the coach’s contract is set to expire this summer.
Hazzam said good progress is being made on an extension which will see Ali lead the Whites’ bid for 2018 World Cup qualification.
Hazzam added: “Mahdi Ali is a good coach. We’ve ascended to number 66 in the FIFA rankings, so I think he is a good candidate to continue with the UAE and I hope he will be the man to lead us to our first World Cup in 28 years.
"We have sat down with the coach and everything is going smoothly. We hope it will be signed soon.”
Hazzam yesterday attended the signing of a deal between the International Petroleum Investment Company (IPIC) and the UAE Women’s Football Committee.
IPIC will sponsor the UAE team and will also soon launch the ‘IPIC Women’s Football League’.
