The Football Association has expressed its willingness to host all of Group G’s remaining World Cup qualifiers after the decision was taken on Wednesday to postpone next month’s matches until June.
All outstanding fixtures in the pool will now take place in a centralised venue after a number of the teams raised concerns regarding both staging matches and travelling during the coronavirus pandemic. In particular, the UAE’s next two opponents, Malaysia and Indonesia, cited the travel restrictions and quarantine measures in their respective countries as reason for delaying the fixtures.
The second round of qualification, postponed repeatedly last year because of the pandemic, was set to resume next month, with the UAE to face Malaysia at home on March 25 and Indonesia away five days later. Their final two games, at home to Thailand and then group leaders Vietnam, were scheduled for June.
However, the respective federations held a remote meeting on Wednesday with the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), where it was decided once more to push back the matches.
The FA had offered to stage the Indonesia match in the UAE, but will now register a proposal to the AFC by March 5 to host the remaining eight group games in June. The governing body will announce their final decision on March 15.
Irrespective of where the matches will be held, the UAE are now slated to take on Malaysia on June 3, Thailand on June 7 and Indonesia four days later, before rounding off the campaign on June 15 against group leaders Vietnam. The host association, though, has the right to hold matches across two days instead of one day for each round.
Currently, the UAE sit fourth in the standings, five points off the summit, although they have a game in hand over each of their rivals. The eight group winners and four best runners-up will progress to the final round of qualification. Round 3 is to begin in September and must be concluded in April next year. The World Cup begins in Qatar in November 2022.
The UAE national team were scheduled to meet for a training camp on March 17, but it is understood they will now look to hold a shorter get-together next month, where they will also play a friendly match.
Bert van Marwijk returned as UAE manager in December little more than one year after being dismissed. The Dutchman, who led the Netherlands to the 2010 World Cup final and then guided Saudi Arabia through qualification to the 2018 tournament, succeeded Colombian Jorge Luis Pinto. Van Marwijk’s previous stint in charge lasted nine months.
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
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