Excitement is building as the World Cup in Qatar gets ever closer to the final whistle. If you’re looking to watch Argentina take on France on Sunday in Abu Dhabi, there's plenty of venues screening will screen the game live, alongside dishing out themed menus, entertainment, contests and activities for children.
Here’s where you can catch the action on December 18.
Emirates Palace fan zone
The grand hotel has a dedicated World Cup fan zone with open-air viewing spots at Oriental Cafe. The match is being screened live on a supersized LED screen, and there's four food chalets and two bars keeping guests satiated. Large groups have the option to customise sharing menus, while those with children can scope out the play zones and face-painting corners.
F&B is served at the fan zone from one hour before kick-off.
1pm-1am; from Dh180; Emirates Palace, West Corniche Road; 02 690 8888
Shangri-La football village
Shangri-La Qaryat Al Beri's beachfront football fan zone will also show the World Cup final. The open-air venue promises a stadium-like setting with giant screens, pub grub, beachside barbecues and Sunday brunch, as well as match-break quizzes, themed competitions, DJs and stand-up comedy acts. A day pass can be redeemed against two drinks and offers complimentary beach access. There's also happy hour from 1pm to 5pm, with 50 per cent off all beverages.
Match days 1pm-1am; day pass for Dh100, brunch for Dh268; Khor Al Maqta, Qaryat Al Beri; 02 509 8555; restaurantreservations.slad@shangri-la.com
Cooper’s
The quintessential sports bar and pub, Cooper’s at Park Rotana has nearly a dozen screens peppered across its vibrant venue. Catch all the live football action, and in between head to the selfie booth, or participate in games and contests, including a spin-the-wheel challenge and raffle draws.
Cooper’s offers a moreish menu, with options ranging from sausages by the metre and a decadent truffle macaroni cheese to vegan falafel sliders and miso salmon.
Saturday to Wednesday noon-2am, Thursday and Friday noon-3am; a la carte menu; Khalifa Park; 02 657 3325
Glo
The lounge at Rosewood Abu Dhabi has set up a giant inflatable screen next to the swimming pool on its palm-fringed open-air terrace where you can see the match. Glo is offering a light-bites menu with battered fish and chips, chilli nachos, pulled BBQ beef sliders, and sweet and spicy chicken wings. There is a minimum spend of Dh200.
Noon-2am; from Dh200; 02 813 5550
Loca
The vibrant Mexican restaurant and bar promises fiesta vibes for the final with two “mega-large” screens. Loca has put together a football-themed menu, and is still serving its signature guacamole and tacos, which can be enjoyed with a minimum spend of Dh150.
Noon-2am; from Dh150; The Galleria Al Maryah Island; 02 582 3639
Stock Burger Co
The burger joint at Holiday Inn Abu Dhabi has put together some delicious deals for the World Cup, as well as a special menu. Sample the Mexican burger and receive eight soft drinks or juices; or order the Team World Cup sharing platter (with sweet potato fries, roasted parsnips, falafel, crab cakes and a trio of dips) and receive six bottles of hops, all for Dh150. Other dishes include the Argentinian Jawbreaker burger and Brazilian stack nachos.
The match can be viewed on eight screens inside or on one giant outdoor projector. Children under 12 eat free and can enjoy activity booklets, while adults can participate in games and contests to win free drinks, dishes and stays at the hotel.
Daily noon-midnight; a la carte menu; Embassies District; 02 657 4864
Vox Cinemas
Vox Cinemas across Abu Dhabi is another places to see the final. Offering a cinematic viewing experience with a state-of-the-art sound system, the cinema will show all the action until the final whistle blows.
Enjoy popcorn as well as a menu of tasty treats, including gourmet burgers, Parmesan truffle fries, hot dogs and Indian street-food options such as onion bhaji, dal vada and samosa.
From Dh59; 600 599 905; uae.voxcinemas.com
Zaatar w Zeit
Late-night revellers can head to Zaatar w Zeit to watch the World Cup live at this popular Lebanese joint.
The chain has erected a massive LED screen at its Abu Dhabi Salam branch (as well as its Barsha Heights, Motor City and Sheikh Zayed Road outposts in Dubai) for football season. Enjoy your fill of halloumi sticks, mighty kafta and the popular Famous Chicken wrap as you catch all the action. A minimum entry of Dh89 is not redeemable on food and beverage.
From Dh89; open 24/7; 600 522 231
Zsa Zsa at Four Seasons
The lounge at Four Seasons Hotel Abu Dhabi will show the game live on multiple large screens and has various packages on offer such as happy hour and 30 per cent discount on select cocktails.
Those staying over at the hotel can watch the game from the comfort of their room, with room rates discounted by 20 per cent for the World Cup season.
4pm-1am; a la carte menu; Al Maryah Island; 02 333 2444; www.fourseasons.com
Yas Island
Yas Island's largest outdoor screen at Abu Dhabi fan zone at Yas Links has sold out for the World Cup final. The sprawling arena has made a name for itself in the capital with concerts, an e-gaming zone and food trucks, but it's too late to head there for Sunday's match.
However, a number of other locations across Yas Island will screen the match including Bushra by Buddha-Bar, Siddharta by Buddha-Bar, Cafe del Mar, La Carnita and The Lighthouse, all at Yas Bay Waterfront; Amici Terrace at W Abu Dhabi — Yas Island; The Overlook at The WB Abu Dhabi; and Boroughs, Stars n Bars and Iris, all on Yas Marina.
A massive screen and outdoor seating are also open to the public at Pier71, the 3km boardwalk at Yas Bay.
Various times and prices; www.yasisland.com
Scroll through the gallery below to check out dedicated football fan zones in Dubai
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Married Malala
Malala Yousafzai is enjoying married life, her father said.
The 24-year-old married Pakistan cricket executive Asser Malik last year in a small ceremony in the UK.
Ziauddin Yousafzai told The National his daughter was ‘very happy’ with her husband.
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo
Power: 201hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 320Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 6-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 8.7L/100km
Price: Dh133,900
On sale: now
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
If you go
The flights
Etihad and Emirates fly direct from the UAE to Chicago from Dh5,215 return including taxes.
The hotels
Recommended hotels include the Intercontinental Chicago Magnificent Mile, located in an iconic skyscraper complete with a 1929 Olympic-size swimming pool from US$299 (Dh1,100) per night including taxes, and the Omni Chicago Hotel, an excellent value downtown address with elegant art deco furnishings and an excellent in-house restaurant. Rooms from US$239 (Dh877) per night including taxes.
Scoreline
Chelsea 1
Azpilicueta (36')
West Ham United 1
Hernandez (73')
Heavily-sugared soft drinks slip through the tax net
Some popular drinks with high levels of sugar and caffeine have slipped through the fizz drink tax loophole, as they are not carbonated or classed as an energy drink.
Arizona Iced Tea with lemon is one of those beverages, with one 240 millilitre serving offering up 23 grams of sugar - about six teaspoons.
A 680ml can of Arizona Iced Tea costs just Dh6.
Most sports drinks sold in supermarkets were found to contain, on average, five teaspoons of sugar in a 500ml bottle.
More from Neighbourhood Watch
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
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Company%20Profile
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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THE SPECS
Engine: AMG-enhanced 3.0L inline-6 turbo with EQ Boost and electric auxiliary compressor
Transmission: nine-speed automatic
Power: 429hp
Torque: 520Nm
Price: Dh360,200 (starting)
