UAE women's football team to play Maldives ahead of Asian Cup qualifiers

Dubai - The 2022 Asian Cup will be held in three venues in India

UAE national women’s football team will play their first friendly match against Maldives at Theab Awana Stadium in Dubai on Sunday, UAE’s football association confirmed.

The women’s team is currently taking part in a training camp as they prepare for the qualifying stages of the 2022 Women’s Asian Cup in India.

National coach Houria Al Tahri is leaving no stone unturned in an attempt to help the team qualify for the showpiece event in Asia. They will face their first test against Maldives on Sunday.

Amal Bushlakh, member of the Board of Directors of the Football Association and head of the Women’s Football Committee, said the preparations are on track and playing against Asian teams in friendly matches will hold the team in good stead.

“We will compete to grab the qualifying ticket to the finals,” Bushlakh said.

The 2022 Asian Cup will be held in three venues in India. Four teams have earned automatic berths– 2018 champions Japan, runners-up Australia, third placed China and hosts India.

Twenty eight teams, including UAE, will compete in the qualifying rounds to grab the remaining eight spots in the tournament.

The qualifying matches will be held from September 16 to September 30.

UAE have been placed in Group D in the qualifying rounds with Lebanon, Myanmar and Guam. Lebanon will host the Group D matches in the qualifying rounds.