Organisers of the WMF Minifootball World Cup hope the tournament’s inaugural Middle East edition will attract more fans to the sport when Ras Al Khaimah hosts the event later this year.
The Minifootball World Cup, which features 32 national teams comprising amateur players in six-a-side matches, will be held in the region for the first time from October 26 to November 4.
The biennial event, first staged in 2015, has previously been hosted by the US, Tunisia and Australia, with the US, Czech Republic and Mexico crowned champions in the respective tournaments. The 2021 event was cancelled because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Ras Al Khaimah won the bid in March to host the 2023 World Cup, ahead of other shortlisted contenders including Manila and Budapest.
The draw for the 2023 edition was held on Al Marjan Island on Tuesday evening with Sheikh Ahmed bin Saud Al Qasimi, chairman of Ras Al Khaimah Public Services Department in attendance. The UAE, first-time entrants, were placed in Group A alongside Kazakhstan, Ghana and India.
Meanwhile, reigning champions and two-time runners-up Mexico were drawn in Group B with Guatemala, Georgia and Ireland, while 2019 finalists Brazil will contest Group E against Bulgaria, Montenegro and Japan.
Elsewhere, an intriguing Group G pits against one another Azerbaijan, Tunisia, Egypt and Iraq. The UAE will kick off the tournament against India on October 26, with the group stages running until October 31.
Following the most recent Fifa World Cup format, the teams face one another in their respective groups in a round-robin format, with the top two teams from each pool moving on to the last-16 knockout phase. That takes place from November 1-3.
Both the third-place play-off and the final will be held on November 4. Organisers have yet to announce the venue for the tournament.
Speaking at Tuesday’s draw, President of the World Minifootball Federation, Filip Juda, said: “I am excited to return to Ras Al Khaimah for the official 2023 WMF Minifootball World Cup draw – it truly is a remarkable destination, and is ideal for our growing sport.
"The enthusiastic support we have received from the Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority and the people of the emirate validates the original decision to select Ras Al Khaimah as our host.
“Congratulations to all the teams and we look forward to an exciting tournament. We are also eager to see what lies beyond – we are confident the World Cup’s legacy will continue to grow and attract more fans to this unique sport and encourage wholesome athletic pursuits among the UAE and wider region’s population.”
Raki Phillips, chief executive of RAKTDA, said: “We are thrilled to have kicked off the countdown to the 2023 Minifootball World Cup Ras Al Khaimah with an exciting draw viewed live by thousands of people from across the globe.
“This tournament cements our reputation as one of the most exciting and fastest growing destinations in the region. We can’t wait to welcome nations from all around the world to discover our proud sporting legacy, renowned Emirati hospitality, and exciting adventure, culture and nature-based experiences beyond the stadium.”
The WMF has representatives in almost 100 countries. As well as the World Cup, the body organises continental championships through their continental federations. The 2023 World Cup will be free to spectators to attend. The tagline for the tournament reads “Home for Everyday Legends”.
WMF World Cup, Ras Al Khaimah 2023, group draw:
Group A - UAE, Kazakhstan, Ghana, India
Group B - Mexico, Guatemala, Georgia, Ireland
Group C - Czech Republic, Ukraine, Israel, Thailand
Group D - Romania, USA, Spain, Lebanon
Group E - Brazil, Bulgaria, Montenegro, Japan
Group F - Slovakia, France, England, Albania
Group G - Azerbaijan, Tunisia, Egypt, Iraq
Group H - Hungary, Serbia, Libya, Portugal
UFC%20FIGHT%20NIGHT%3A%20SAUDI%20ARABIA%20RESULTS
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Stree
Producer: Maddock Films, Jio Movies
Director: Amar Kaushik
Cast: Rajkummar Rao, Shraddha Kapoor, Pankaj Tripathi, Aparshakti Khurana, Abhishek Banerjee
Rating: 3.5
Desert Warrior
Starring: Anthony Mackie, Aiysha Hart, Ben Kingsley
Director: Rupert Wyatt
Rating: 3/5
TCL INFO
Teams:
Punjabi Legends Owners: Inzamam-ul-Haq and Intizar-ul-Haq; Key player: Misbah-ul-Haq
Pakhtoons Owners: Habib Khan and Tajuddin Khan; Key player: Shahid Afridi
Maratha Arabians Owners: Sohail Khan, Ali Tumbi, Parvez Khan; Key player: Virender Sehwag
Bangla Tigers Owners: Shirajuddin Alam, Yasin Choudhary, Neelesh Bhatnager, Anis and Rizwan Sajan; Key player: TBC
Colombo Lions Owners: Sri Lanka Cricket; Key player: TBC
Kerala Kings Owners: Hussain Adam Ali and Shafi Ul Mulk; Key player: Eoin Morgan
Venue Sharjah Cricket Stadium
Format 10 overs per side, matches last for 90 minutes
Timeline October 25: Around 120 players to be entered into a draft, to be held in Dubai; December 21: Matches start; December 24: Finals
'Lost in Space'
Creators: Matt Sazama, Burk Sharpless, Irwin Allen
Stars: Molly Parker, Toby Stephens, Maxwell Jenkins
Rating: 4/5
Our Time Has Come
Alyssa Ayres, Oxford University Press
The President's Cake
Director: Hasan Hadi
Starring: Baneen Ahmad Nayyef, Waheed Thabet Khreibat, Sajad Mohamad Qasem
Rating: 4/5
Dubai Bling season three
Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed
Rating: 1/5
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What is a Ponzi scheme?
A fraudulent investment operation where the scammer provides fake reports and generates returns for old investors through money paid by new investors, rather than through ligitimate business activities.
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
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Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
FORSPOKEN
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Final%20Fantasy%20XVI
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Assassin's%20Creed%20Mirage
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Starfield
%3Cp%3EDeveloper%3A%20Bethesda%20Game%20Studios%0D%3Cbr%3EPublisher%3A%20Bethesda%20Softworks%0D%3Cbr%3EConsole%3A%20PC%2C%20Xbox%0D%3Cbr%3ERelease%20date%3A%202023%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
if you go
The flights
Etihad, Emirates and Singapore Airlines fly direct from the UAE to Singapore from Dh2,265 return including taxes. The flight takes about 7 hours.
The hotel
Rooms at the M Social Singapore cost from SG $179 (Dh488) per night including taxes.
The tour
Makan Makan Walking group tours costs from SG $90 (Dh245) per person for about three hours. Tailor-made tours can be arranged. For details go to www.woknstroll.com.sg
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
Scoreline:
Everton 4
Richarlison 13'), Sigurdsson 28', Digne 56', Walcott 64'
Manchester United 0
Man of the match: Gylfi Sigurdsson (Everton)
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
The bio:
Favourite holiday destination: I really enjoyed Sri Lanka and Vietnam but my dream destination is the Maldives.
Favourite food: My mum’s Chinese cooking.
Favourite film: Robocop, followed by The Terminator.
Hobbies: Off-roading, scuba diving, playing squash and going to the gym.
2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, (Leon banned).
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
A list of the animal rescue organisations in the UAE
Test series fixtures
(All matches start at 2pm UAE)
1st Test Lord's, London from Thursday to Monday
2nd Test Nottingham from July 14-18
3rd Test The Oval, London from July 27-31
4th Test Manchester from August 4-8
The%20pillars%20of%20the%20Dubai%20Metaverse%20Strategy
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Moon Music
Artist: Coldplay
Label: Parlophone/Atlantic
Number of tracks: 10
Rating: 3/5
What is a black hole?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
ABU%20DHABI'S%20KEY%20TOURISM%20GOALS%3A%20BY%20THE%20NUMBERS
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The specs
Engine: Dual 180kW and 300kW front and rear motors
Power: 480kW
Torque: 850Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh359,900 ($98,000)
On sale: Now
Race 3
Produced: Salman Khan Films and Tips Films
Director: Remo D’Souza
Cast: Salman Khan, Anil Kapoor, Jacqueline Fernandez, Bobby Deol, Daisy Shah, Saqib Salem
Rating: 2.5 stars
ESSENTIALS
The flights
Emirates flies direct from Dubai to Rio de Janeiro from Dh7,000 return including taxes. Avianca fliles from Rio to Cusco via Lima from $399 (Dhxx) return including taxes.
The trip
From US$1,830 per deluxe cabin, twin share, for the one-night Spirit of the Water itinerary and US$4,630 per deluxe cabin for the Peruvian Highlands itinerary, inclusive of meals, and beverages. Surcharges apply for some excursions.
Kibsons%20Cares
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