New league is different class

DUBAI // Mohammed Khalfan al Rumaithi, the president of the UAE Football Association, is hoping the new Pro League will take the game to a level that will make the nation "proud". The UAE's first-ever professional season will kick off on Sept 14 with the Super Cup match between league champions Al Shabab and President's cup winners Al Ahli. The 12-team Pro-League will then commence on Sept 19. From the 2009-2010 season, another division will be added to the league. Teams finishing in the bottom eight of the existing 16-team second division in the upcoming season will be playing in the second division from the next season.

The existing 16-team second division will become an eight-team competition from 2009-2010 and will be known as the first division, since the existing 12-team first division will be the new Pro League.

"I want to take the game to a level that we will all be proud of," said Rumaithi. "Of course, we have had many good moments in our history. We played in the World Cup in 1990. We won the Gulf Cup in 2007 and we were the runners-up in the Asian Cup in 1996. Al Ain won the AFC Champions League in 2003.

"So we have done some good things in the past. But now, we are in a new era. We are transforming. We will have our first professional league in the coming season. "The clubs are becoming more and more professional, and converting into commercial entities. They will become companies. "So, the whole vision is different now. We are going towards professionalism and our target is the kind of football we see in Europe." Rumaithi, who was elected president for a four-year term on May 28 following the first ever elections to the UAE FA, understands that there will be plenty of challenges ahead as they embark on their journey of professionalism.

"I cannot guarantee that the Pro League will be perfect or at 100 per cent in the first season," said the 42-year-old administrator. "There will be a few setbacks in the first year, and it is natural. We just have to learn from them and improve for the coming seasons. "What I would like to see next year is our clubs playing football every week. We don't want to see stoppages for two, three or four weeks like we had in the last season. "When the professionals or internationals players go away for national duty, I would like to see the reserve players playing in the League, the Professional League Cup, the President's Cup or whatever competitions we have. "So I would like to see football being played every week and I would like to see the fans in the stadium. "I would like to see companies coming forward to sponsor. I would also like our national television channels to come forward and sponsor the national league and buy the live rights. I would like to see the fans buying tickets and supporting their clubs. Not like the previous years, when the fans entered the stadium for free. So, there are a lot of changes we are hoping will happen."

Our coronavirus coverage

Gillian Duncan: What we know so far and what comes next?

Lin Yaduo: This is the time for facts, not fear

National Editorial: China deserves the whole world's support

National Editorial: We can defeat coronavirus if we all work together

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

Infiniti QX80 specs

Engine: twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6

Power: 450hp

Torque: 700Nm

Price: From Dh450,000, Autograph model from Dh510,000

Available: Now

Kandahar%20

%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Ric%20Roman%20Waugh%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%C2%A0%3C%2Fstrong%3EGerard%20Butler%2C%20Navid%20Negahban%2C%20Ali%20Fazal%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202.5%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A