The UAE will be wearing black armbands in their World Cup qualifier against Palestine at the West Bank, as a mark of respect for the Emirati soldiers that were killed on duty in Yemen.
Yousef Al Serkal, the president of the UAE Football Association (UAE FA), paid tribute to the 45 fallen soldiers and says the players have every right to mourn the loss of their brothers when they take on Palestine.
“These martyrs have sacrificed themselves for the sake of this country so the people of the UAE can lead safe and secure lives here,” said Al Serkal.
The country has been in a state of mourning since Saturday with all sports activities suspended and all clubs flying their flags at half-mast.
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The Arabian Gulf Cup matches, cancelled last Saturday, have been rescheduled for today with Emirates taking on Al Dhafra and Dibba facing Al Wahda at 17:40, and Al Shaab playing Al Ahli at 20:30, the PLC announced yesterday.
The Dubai Sports Council have also halted all activities and the secretary general Saeed Hareb released a statament saying: “Our people love glory and dignity. We live in dignity and die in dignity and seek martyrdom in the sake of homeland and values of dignity.”
The match between the UAE and Palestine, to be held at the Faisal Al Husseini Stadium, is an historic moment as it’s the first competitive tie to be played by the Palestine senior national side in their homeland.
