UAE given green light to play in Gulf Cup after Qatar forfeits hosting rights to Kuwait

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  • UAE Football Association president Marwan bin Ghalita has confirmed his nation are set to compete this month in the hastily rearranged and politically sensitive 23rd running of the Gulf Cup after regional pariahs Qatar gave up their hosting rights to Kuwait.

    The regional tournament had been engulfed by June’s outbreak of the Qatar crisis, in which the Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain were among the countries to break off diplomatic ties because of alleged links to terrorism. This stance was cemented last month when the trio all officially pulled out in protest at Doha’s staging.

    But FIFA’s decision last week to rescind their ban on Kuwait opened up an opportunity for redress, the Qataris forfeiting to Kuwait on Wednesday. This stance allowed Bin Ghalita late on Friday night to confirm the revelation earlier in the day from the world governing body’s president, Gianni Infantino, that the Whites have signed up to compete in an event which will run from December 22-January 8.

    “The UAE will participate in the upcoming Gulf Cup in Kuwait,” Bin Ghalita told Abu Dhabi Sport. ” I talked with the coach [Alberto Zaccheroni] and he wished to participate in the tournament.”

    A resolution has been made with such haste that the UAE announced an experimental squad on Thursday for a training camp in Dubai, set to feature friendlies against unnamed opposition on December 17 and Algeria on December 23

    Infantino will be at the opening games in Kuwait City on December 22 and 23. The Swiss administrator hailed a “powerful message to the world” created by the chance in stance.

    He said: “The initiative to move the 2017 Gulf Cup from Qatar to Kuwait to celebrate this event is a strong and symbolic sign. In this context, I would like to express my gratitude to the teams of Bahrain, Iraq, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE and Yemen for participating in this tournament.

    “The 2017 Gulf Cup will be a great celebration of football in the whole region and to have all eight teams participating in Kuwait sends a very powerful message to the world.”

    A new draw is to be held on Monday. The UAE won the 2013 running and finished third in 2015.

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