The UAE will face Gambia in a friendly later this month as part of their preparations for the upcoming World Cup play-offs.
The national team, attempting to qualify for a global finals for only the second time in the country’s history, are set to meet the West Africans on May 29 in Dubai. They then fly the following day to Doha ahead of their play-off against Australia on June 7.
The winner of that match progress to face Peru, the fifth-placed team in South American qualification, six days later for a place at the World Cup later this year. Both play-offs take place at the Ahmad bin Ali Stadium in Al Rayyan.
The majority of the UAE squad are scheduled to meet on May 24 – the 2021/22 Adnoc Pro League concludes the day before – with those involved in the President’s Cup final between Sharjah and Al Wahda joining the group immediately following the showpiece event on May 27.
The UAE will then meet Gambia, the world’s 123rd-ranked side according to Fifa, as their only warm-up for the crucial Australia encounter. The UAE currently sit 68th in the global standings.
Meanwhile, Australia confirmed on Tuesday that they will play Jordan in a friendly on June 1 in Doha. Both Australia and the UAE booked their spots in the play-offs in March by finishing third in their respective groups in the final round of qualification.
The UAE ended a three-match losing streak against Australia by winning their most recent encounter, claiming a 1-0 victory in January 2019 in the Asian Cup quarter-finals.
Should the UAE progress past the play-offs against Australia and Peru, they will be placed in Group D at the 2022 World Cup, alongside defending champions France, Denmark, and Tunisia. Their first match would be against France on November 22.
if you go
Getting there
Etihad (Etihad.com), Emirates (emirates.com) and Air France (www.airfrance.com) fly to Paris’ Charles de Gaulle Airport, from Abu Dhabi and Dubai respectively. Return flights cost from around Dh3,785. It takes about 40 minutes to get from Paris to Compiègne by train, with return tickets costing €19. The Glade of the Armistice is 6.6km east of the railway station.
Staying there
On a handsome, tree-lined street near the Chateau’s park, La Parenthèse du Rond Royal (laparenthesedurondroyal.com) offers spacious b&b accommodation with thoughtful design touches. Lots of natural woods, old fashioned travelling trunks as decoration and multi-nozzle showers are part of the look, while there are free bikes for those who want to cycle to the glade. Prices start at €120 a night.
More information: musee-armistice-14-18.fr ; compiegne-tourisme.fr; uk.france.fr
Learn more about Qasr Al Hosn
In 2013, The National's History Project went beyond the walls to see what life was like living in Abu Dhabi's fabled fort:
MATCH INFO
Fixture: Thailand v UAE, Tuesday, 4pm (UAE)
TV: Abu Dhabi Sports
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Chatham House Rule
A mark of Chatham House’s influence 100 years on since its founding, was Moscow’s formal declaration last month that it was an “undesirable
organisation”.
The depth of knowledge and academics that it drew on
following the Ukraine invasion had broadcast Mr Putin’s chicanery.
The institute is more used to accommodating world leaders,
with Nelson Mandela, Margaret Thatcher among those helping it provide
authoritative commentary on world events.
Chatham House was formally founded as the Royal Institute of
International Affairs following the peace conferences of World War One. Its
founder, Lionel Curtis, wanted a more scientific examination of international affairs
with a transparent exchange of information and ideas.
That arena of debate and analysis was enhanced by the “Chatham
House Rule” states that the contents of any meeting can be discussed outside Chatham
House but no mention can be made identifying individuals who commented.
This has enabled some candid exchanges on difficult subjects
allowing a greater degree of free speech from high-ranking figures.
These meetings are highly valued, so much so that
ambassadors reported them in secret diplomatic cables that – when they were
revealed in the Wikileaks reporting – were thus found to have broken the rule. However,
most speeches are held on the record.
Its research and debate has offered fresh ideas to
policymakers enabling them to more coherently address troubling issues from climate
change to health and food security.
THE DETAILS
Kaala
Dir: Pa. Ranjith
Starring: Rajinikanth, Huma Qureshi, Easwari Rao, Nana Patekar
Rating: 1.5/5
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'Tell the Machine Goodnight' by Katie Williams
Penguin Randomhouse
