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Pachuca, Hekari first clubs to qualify for Abu Dhabi
The confirmation of CF Pachuca and Hekari United has ignited a thrilling countdown to the FIFA Club World Cup UAE 2010 and the return of the champion clubs to Abu Dhabi from December 8-18.
CF Pachuca of Mexico became the first club to qualify for the tournament on April 28 after winning the all-Mexican final Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) Champions League. It will be the fifth year in a row that Mexico will be represented in the competition following Atlante’s appearance in 2009, Pachuca themselves in 2008 and 2007, and CF America in the 2006 tournament.
CF Pachuca’s stunning win, which saw Edgar Benitez score in the third minute of stoppage time to secure the second leg 1-0 victory against Cruz Azul to win through on away goals, provides football fans from across the region with another opportunity to see the very best in Mexican talent square up against the leading clubs in the world.
Also adding an exciting flavour to the tournament is the confirmation that Hekari United of Papua New Guinea has qualified from Oceania after winning the O-League final earlier this week. The Papua New Guinea team secured a 4-2 win on aggregate against New Zealand’s Waitakere United to book their ticket to Abu Dhabi. The qualification of Hekari United is historic and represents the first time Papua New Guinea has been involved in any FIFA football tournament at any level.
Mohammed Khalfan Al-Rumaithi, UAE Football Association President, said: “Seeing CF Pachuca and Hekari United qualify for the FIFA Club World Cup UAE 2010 marks the beginning of an exciting few months as the top clubs compete around the globe for their chance to be crowned world champions.”
“After last year’s outstanding event, there is a huge amount of anticipation ahead of the return of the tournament, and the confirmation of these two teams as our first qualifiers will only help to spark an even greater level of enthusiasm.”
“This begins an exciting journey for us as hosts of this global club competition, the football fans and wider community, our country and the whole region as we build towards providing another warm welcome to the world’s top players.”
Preparations for the 2010 tournament are now well under way and have been boosted by the announcement that Flash Entertainment, the region’s premier live events company, will be supporting the Local Organizing Committee (LOC) in the delivery of the tournament in partnership with the UAE Football Association (FA) and the Abu Dhabi Sports Council (ADSC).
Flash Entertainment has been behind some of the biggest and most successful sporting events in the Middle East, including the Capitala World Tennis Championship, Wakestock Abu Dhabi and UFC 112 Invincible, and will assist the LOC in delivering an unforgettable programme of special events and activities in and around the FIFA Club World Cup UAE 2010.
Ossama Khoreibi, Executive Director of Strategic Affairs at the Executive Affairs Authority and Chairman of the Board of Flash Entertainment, said: “Last year’s FIFA Club World Cup was a great success and will return to Abu Dhabi to build on what was a fantastic sporting event enjoyed by football fans and visitors from around the world. “We have a number of very exciting plans for this year’s tournament and we will be working closely with our partners at the UAE Football Association and the Abu Dhabi Sports Council to ensure the 2010 tournament is another success for Abu Dhabi and the UAE.”
“This is another important international event for our city and we look forward to the entire community getting involved in this celebration of football.”
Abu Dhabi Sports Council, whose mission is to lead and organise sports development in Abu Dhabi, will also play a crucial role in this year’s tournament.
Mohammed Ibrahim Al Mahmood, the General Secretary of the Abu Dhabi Sports Council, said: “Hosting world-class sporting events is a very important step in building Abu Dhabi’s sport offering whilst also nurturing the young talent in our community.”
The FIFA Club World Cup 2010 will be held in Abu Dhabi from December 8-18. Club champions from all six FIFA confederations, as well as the winning team from the UAE Football League (UFL), will compete for the coveted FIFA Club World Cup Champion title over 10 days of action at Zayed Sports City and Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium in the capital.
With just two league games left in the UFL, it has come down to either Al Wahda or Al Jazira - both Abu Dhabi clubs - who will be battling it out to fly the UAE flag when the 2010 domestic season concludes on May 15.
Football fans will also be keeping a close eye on the result of the UEFA Champions League on May 22nd with either Inter Milan or Bayern Munich in the hunt to represent Europe at this year’s tournament in Abu Dhabi.
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