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
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
Dr Amal Khalid Alias revealed a recent case of a woman with daughters, who specifically wanted a boy.
A semen analysis of the father showed abnormal sperm so the couple required IVF.
Out of 21 eggs collected, six were unused leaving 15 suitable for IVF.
A specific procedure was used, called intracytoplasmic sperm injection where a single sperm cell is inserted into the egg.
On day three of the process, 14 embryos were biopsied for gender selection.
The next day, a pre-implantation genetic report revealed four normal male embryos, three female and seven abnormal samples.
Day five of the treatment saw two male embryos transferred to the patient.
The woman recorded a positive pregnancy test two weeks later.
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More from Neighbourhood Watch:
Dubai works towards better air quality by 2021
Dubai is on a mission to record good air quality for 90 per cent of the year – up from 86 per cent annually today – by 2021.
The municipality plans to have seven mobile air-monitoring stations by 2020 to capture more accurate data in hourly and daily trends of pollution.
These will be on the Palm Jumeirah, Al Qusais, Muhaisnah, Rashidiyah, Al Wasl, Al Quoz and Dubai Investment Park.
“It will allow real-time responding for emergency cases,” said Khaldoon Al Daraji, first environment safety officer at the municipality.
“We’re in a good position except for the cases that are out of our hands, such as sandstorms.
“Sandstorms are our main concern because the UAE is just a receiver.
“The hotspots are Iran, Saudi Arabia and southern Iraq, but we’re working hard with the region to reduce the cycle of sandstorm generation.”
Mr Al Daraji said monitoring as it stood covered 47 per cent of Dubai.
There are 12 fixed stations in the emirate, but Dubai also receives information from monitors belonging to other entities.
“There are 25 stations in total,” Mr Al Daraji said.
“We added new technology and equipment used for the first time for the detection of heavy metals.
“A hundred parameters can be detected but we want to expand it to make sure that the data captured can allow a baseline study in some areas to ensure they are well positioned.”
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
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6pm: Al Shindaga Museum – Handicap (TB) Dh87,500 (Dirt) 1,200m
6.35pm: Poet Al Oqaili – Handicap (TB) Dh95,000 (T) 1,400m
7.10pm: Majlis Ghurfat Al Sheif – Handicap (TB) Dh87,500 (D) 1,600m
7.45pm: Hatta – Handicap (TB) Dh95,000 (T) 1,400m
8.20pm: Al Fahidi – Rated Conditions (TB) Dh87,500 (D) 2,200m
8.55pm: Zabeel Trophy – Rated Conditions (TB) Dh120,000 (T) 1,600m
9.30pm: Coins Museum – Rated Conditions (TB) Dh95,000 (D) 1,600m
10.05pm: Al Quoz Creative – Handicap (TB) Dh95,000 (T) 1,000m
