Abu Dhabi will host the Saudi Super Cup in April after the Saudi Arabian Football Federation (SAFF) announced it had entered an agreement with the Department of Culture and Tourism - Abu Dhabi.
According to the deal, the tournament will be hosted in the UAE capital from April 8-11.
Saudi Pro League clubs Al Ittihad, Al Nassr, Al Hilal, and Al Wehda have been announced as the participating teams, which means star names like Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema could be back in the UAE soon.
The tournament will kick off on April 8 with Al Ittihad taking on Al Wehda at Al Nahyan Stadium (9pm UAE time), followed by a clash between Al Hilal and Al Nassr at the Mohamed Bin Zayed Stadium (11:30pm).
The final will take place on April 11.
Yasser Al Misehal, president of SAFF, said: "The sponsorship agreement with the Department of Culture and Tourism - Abu Dhabi extends the close cooperation between Saudi Arabia and the UAE in football, enhancing sponsorship initiatives to achieve common aspirations through supporting knowledge exchange and development.
"Sponsorships like these can showcase Saudi culture through football, drawing new audiences to domestic competitions, encouraging visits to the kingdom, and boosting international attendance. This creates new markets and ultimately supports the Saudi Arabian Football Federation's growth and development efforts."
Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, chairman of DCT - Abu Dhabi, said: "As the host city for the 2024 Saudi Super Cup, we look forward to welcoming football fans across the region to Abu Dhabi. The tournament is the latest in a long line of sporting events hosted in the emirate, attracting visitors from across the world, securing our place as a global destination for sport.
"DCT Abu Dhabi is committed to investing in the development of sport across communities with a view to promote the practice of sport and sporting programmes inspiring a new generation of sporting heroes.”
Mohamed Al Khereiji, chairman of Saudi Media Company (SAFF’s marketing and advertising partner), said: "Our organisation strives to provide the best partnerships, advertising products, and sponsorship rights geared towards supporting the Saudi Arabian Football Federation's goal of reaching a wide audience. This comes amid significant growth and development in the sports sector, which has created an abundance of opportunities, benefiting all the stakeholders involved."
Football fans in the UAE will now get another opportunity to watch Ronaldo and other Saudi Pro League stars in action; Ronaldo was recently here for the Asian Champions League quarter-final clash with Al Ain.
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Al Nassr's Cristiano Ronaldo during his side's 1-0 defeat to Al Ain in the AFC Champions League quarter-final first leg at Hazza bin Zayed Stadium, Al Ain. All photos: Chris Whiteoak / The National -
Al Nassr's Cristiano Ronaldo battles with Al Ain's Khalid Al Hashemi. -
Al Ain's Soufiane Rahimi celebrates after scoring the winner against Al Nassr. -
Al Ain's Soufiane Rahimi scores the winning goal. -
Al Nassr's Cristiano Ronaldo looks dejected. -
Al Ain's Khalid Al Hashemi is challenged by Al Nassr's Cristiano Ronaldo. -
Al Nassr's Cristiano Ronaldo speaks with the referee. -
Al Ain's Soufiane Rahimi celebrates with the substitutes' bench after scoring the first goal. -
Al Nassr's captain Cristiano Ronaldo before the start of the match. -
Al Nassr's Cristiano Ronaldo during the match. -
Al Nassr's Cristiano Ronaldo attempts a bicycle kick. -
Al Nassr's Cristiano Ronaldo during the game. -
Al Nassr's Cristiano Ronaldo vies for the ball against Al Ain's Khalid Al Hashemi. -
Al Ain's Soufiane Rahimi after he opened the scoring. -
Al Ain's Soufiane Rahimi celebrates his opener. -
Al Nassr's captain Cristiano Ronaldo during the toss with Al Ain captain Bandar Al Ahbabi before kick-off. -
Al Nassr's Cristiano Ronaldo warms up before kick-off. -
Al Ain coach Hernan Crespo shouts instructions on the touchline. -
Al Ain's Soufiane Rahimi battles with Al Nassr's Aymeric Laporte. -
Al Nassr coach Luis Castro during the game.
