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UAE, Israel to sign football cooperation agreement on Monday

Dubai - 'Agreement includes establishment of friendly matches for all national teams and clubs'

The UAE Football Association (UAEFA) will sign a cooperation agreement on Monday at its headquarters in Dubai, with the Israeli Football Association (FA), in the presence of Sheikh Rashid bin Humaid Al Nuaimi, President of the UAEFA, Gianni Infantino, President of FIFA, and Oren Hasson, President of the Israeli FA.

"The cooperation agreement comes as a continuation of the UAE Football Association's efforts to strengthen relations with various football federations in the world, which aim to develop the football system and benefit from expertise to raise the technical, administrative, and organisational level of the football tournaments, and to enhance cooperation between the two countries in all sectors, including the sports and football sectors," UAEFA said in a statement on its website today.

"The cooperation agreement includes several items, including the establishment of friendly matches for all national teams and clubs, joint workshops for the technical and administrative members of the federations, as well as the launch of development initiatives that contribute to supporting the course of the game in the two countries," added the statement.

Sheikh Rashid bin Humaid held a meeting last month through visual communication with Oren Hasson, President of the Israeli Football Association, to discuss all the arrangements of the agreement that will be signed on Monday.

Mohammed Abdullah Hazzam Al Dhaheri, General Secretary of the UAEFA, said that "This agreement comes in activation of the peace treaty that was signed between the United Arab Emirates and Israel, as we were keen in the Football Association to coordinate with the Israeli Federation regarding this agreement. It is unique in the Middle East and carries a message of peace from the "land of peace", and we are confident that its outcome will be very positive and will serve both sides."

Bin Hazzam indicated that the presence of Gianni Infantino, President of the FIFA, in the UAE to witness the signing ceremony of the agreement confirms FIFA's encouragement for such initiatives that serve football.

The General Secretary stated that the UAEFA has completed all aspects of the agreement, as a series of coordination meetings have been held with the Israeli side and several arrangements will be worked out during the coming period, which will witness reciprocal visits and various initiatives between the two parties.