UAE to face Qatar, Oman in World Cup qualifiers
The winners of each of the three-team groups, which will be played in October, will join already-qualified Australia, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Uzbekistan, Iran and Jordan at next year's expanded 48-nation finals in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Saudi Arabia will host Group A and open against Indonesia on 8th October.
Indonesia will then play Graham Arnold's Iraq on 11th October before the Saudis and Iraq face off on 14th October.
Group B hosts Qatar, organisers of the 2022 World Cup, will take on Oman in their first game on 8th October. UAE will face Oman on 11th October, with Qatar and the UAE meeting on 14th October.
The nations finishing in second place in each group will advance to a further round of qualifying, which will be held over two legs in November on a home-and-away basis.
Follow Emirates 24|7 on Google News.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Gulf Today
6 hours ago
- Gulf Today
Sharjah gears up to host Pakistan and Afghanistan in T20 Tri-Series
UAE will host Pakistan and Afghanistan in a seven-match T20I Tri-Series at the historic Sharjah Cricket Stadium from Aug. 29. The three teams will play each other twice in the six-match group stage. The top two teams will then compete in the Sept. 7 final. Afghanistan will take on Pakistan in the tournament opener Aug.29). UAE will play Pakistan on Aug. 30 followed by Afghanistan's clash against UAE on Sept. 1 and their second group-stage match against Pakistan on Sept. 2. Pakistan and UAE's second group-stage match will be played on Sept. 4 followed by the Afghanistan-UAE match on Sept. 5. The tournament will provide the ideal preparation opportunity to the three teams ahead of the eight-team ACC Asia Cup 2025 which will be played in the UAE from Sept. 9. India and Pakistan are set to meet in the marquee 2025 Men's Asia Cup group stage clash on Sept.14. In the detailed fixtures announced by the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) recently, India will also face UAE and Oman on Sept.10 and 19 respectively. In the tournament happening from Sept.9-28, with Dubai and Abu Dhabi as the likely venues, India, Pakistan, UAE and Oman are placed in Group A, while Group B comprises of Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan and Hong Kong. After the group stage clash between India and Pakistan on Sept.14, both the teams might take on each other in the Super Fours and potentially the final to be held on Sept.28. It is understood that India will play all its game at the Dubai International Stadium, though the schedule released by ACC doesn't have any mention of it. 'Hosting the ACC Men's T20 Asia Cup 2025 in the UAE allows fans from across Asia to come together in a setting that mirrors our region's incredible diversity. When crowds gather to witness the tournament's unforgettable clashes, it will be a great reminder of cricket's power to build bridges,' said ACC President Mohsin Naqvi said in an official statement. It's also the first time Asia Cup, to be held in the T20I format keeping in mind the preparation for 2026 Men's T20 World Cup, will have eight teams. Top two teams from each group will proceed to the Super Fours stage, with the top two facing each other in the title clash. While India is the designated host of the Asia Cup, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) will stage the tournament in the UAE due to the mutual agreement between them and Pakistan to play at neutral venues in 2027 owing to the geopolitical and diplomatic tensions between the two nations. The tournament was in uncertainty due to India-Pakistan cross-border tensions in May, but an ACC meeting in Dhaka on July 24 cleared the decks for the tournament to happen. A recent spat of a brief war between the countries added fuel to the rivalry. The neighbours have not met on either side's soil in a bilateral series since 2012, and only play each other in international tournaments on neutral grounds as part of a compromise deal. But already-frosty relations took a turn for the worse this year when the two nuclear rivals fought an intense four-day conflict, their worst standoff in decades. More than 70 people were killed in missile, drone and artillery fire on both sides. The conflict was triggered by an April 22 attack on civilians in Indian-administered Kashmir that New Delhi accused Pakistan of backing -- a charge Islamabad denies. India are the defending champions of the Asia Cup, having beaten Sri Lanka in the 2023 final held in the 50-over format in Colombo. Sri Lanka had won the Asia Cup in the T20I version after beating Pakistan in the final in 2022. 'The ACC Men's T20 Asia Cup is the marquee event of Asian cricket, and we are proud to present an expanded platform this year. This year marks yet another milestone in ACC's journey and a noteworthy development for cricket in Asia.' 'With the inclusion of additional teams in the tournament, we are witnessing the game's boundaries expand, both geographically and competitively. This will be Asia Cup at its finest,' added Naqvi.
Khaleej Times
10 hours ago
- Khaleej Times
UAE: Abu Dhabi to host Open Masters Games in February; residents' fees at Dh275
UAE residents aged 30 and above can now sign up for the Open Masters Games Abu Dhabi 2026, the first event of its kind in the Middle East, taking place from February 6 to February 16. The event features 33 various sports and is expected to gather more than 25,000 participants from over 100 nationalities. Competitions will be hosted across 18 major venues, including Zayed Sports City, Hudayriyat Island, Al Ain Adventure, ADNEC, and Abu Dhabi Falconers Club. Registration is now open via the Open Masters Games official website, with entry fees set at Dh275 for UAE residents and Dh550 for international athletes. Participants aged 25 years old and above can join in swimming, while rugby is only open to those aged 27+. Special rates of Dh100 are available for People of Determination and senior citizens. Registration will close on December 31. Spots per sport category are limited, organisers clarified. A celebration of sport 'We're always on the lookout for new experiences for our team,' said Perry Gardiner, co-founder of Calibre Masters swimming club. 'With swimmers from across the UAE and visitors from abroad, it's shaping up to be a fun and competitive event.' The Calibre Masters Swimming Club, based in Dubai, offers swimming classes for adults and has built a community of competitive swimmers. 'We'd love to see as many of our swimmers as possible enjoying the experience, swimming fast and making the most of it,' Gardiner added. 'To have the chance to do all of that on such a big stage is a real privilege.' Andy Fordham, Project Director at Zayed Sports City, who will compete in the cycling events of the games, told Khaleej Times: 'With 33 sports and more than 20,000 participants, I expect a true celebration of sport, diversity, and resilience across generations.' The New Zealand director saw the games happening in his home country in 2017 and is now looking forward to participating and competing. 'I happened to be in my home country, New Zealand, during the 2017 Games held in Auckland. Although I wasn't a participant back then, I vividly remember the energy of it. Years later, I finally get to experience it as an athlete,' said Fordham. 'As for preparations, I've been balancing my training around work, focusing on both endurance riding and building up stamina for race day.' For those willing to contribute to organising the games, volunteer applications are open via the Emirates Foundation, with opportunities in logistics, athlete support, and hospitality. Roles are available for students, professionals, and community volunteers. 'Volunteering in the Open Masters Games Abu Dhabi 2026 is more than just a contribution of time — it is a message of passion and belonging,' said Ahmed Taleb Al Shamsi, CEO of Emirates Foundation. 'The unity of volunteers embodies the spirit of collaboration toward promoting a healthy lifestyle and encouraging movement across all age groups.'
Gulf Today
11 hours ago
- Gulf Today
UAE, Pakistan and Afghanistan to play T20 tri-series in Sharjah
Pakistan, Afghanistan and the United Arab Emirates will participate in a tri-series of Twenty20 international matches to tune up for next month's Asia Cup followed by the World Cup next year. "The tri-series will feature teams from Pakistan, Afghanistan and the UAE from Aug.29 to Sep.7 at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium," the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said on Friday. The T20I tournament will serve as a launching pad for the teams to prepare for the Asian Cricket Council's T20 Asia Cup, scheduled to take place in the UAE from September 9 to 28, it added. India and Sri Lanka will co-host the Twenty20 World Cup in February-March next year. The opening match of the tri-series tournament will be played between Afghanistan and Pakistan on August 29. Each team will play the others twice, giving all sides at least four matches before the top two teams qualify for the final, scheduled on September 7. Tournament schedule (all matches at Sharjah Cricket Stadium): 29 August - Afghanistan v Pakistan 30 August - UAE v Pakistan 1 September - UAE v Afghanistan 2 September - Pakistan v Afghanistan 4 September - Pakistan v UAE 5 September - Afghanistan v UAE 7 September - Final Agence France-Presse
