Dignitaries at the event.

Gulf Today, Staff Reporter

Dubai Sports Council (DSC) has announced that the 3rd edition of "Dubai Open football Academies Tournament”, the biggest of its kind in the Continent of Asia, will be held from 6th Oct. 2024 to 23rd Feb. 2025 with participation of more than 11 thousand male & female players, representing 500 teams of 100 governmental & private academies.

The tournament is organised by DSC and the UAE Football Association and will take place at nine various districts in Dubai.

The event is held as part of DSC’s strategy to attract and develop sports talents.

The tournament’s details were declared in a press conference, convened at DSC’s premises and addressed by Saeed Hareb, the Secretary General of DSC, Mohammed Abdullah Bin Hazam Al-Dhaheri, the Secretary General of the UAE Football Association and Muneer Al-Emam, Director General of Delta Co.

The conference was held in the presence of Naser Aman Al-Rahma, the Assistant Secretary General of DSC, Ahmed Salim Al-Mahri, Director of Sports Development Dept. in DSC, Yan Van Winkle, Technical Manager of the UAE Football Association,  Pablo Acevedo, President of Athletic Sports Talents Scouting Co. and officials and coaches of age groups in public and private academies.

Saeed Hareb stated: "We are pleased toward the constant success of Dubai Open Football Academies Tournament. We are also so pleased for the great increase of the numbers of participants in the new version of the Tournament, to be organised in collaboration with private sector’s companies. The tournament is a unique opportunity to scout and develop sports talents. The tournament also reflects our attention with juniors and academies’ players as part of Dubai government policy and DSC’s strategy to attract & develop talents in various sports."

He added: "Since its launch in 2017, the tournament continues attaining success and development besides attraction of further teams representing global academies alongside our local teams in public and private academies and clubs. The number of participants have jumped to 11,000 male and female players this year, with an increase of 120% comparing to the last year’s version.

The current edition of the tournament will be joined by 500 teams from 100 academies; top of which are Barcelona, Inter Milan, Ajax Amsterdam, Juventus & Manchester City, who will compete in 6,000 matches. Doubtless, contesting such big numbers of matches will contribute to scouting and developing of many talented players in different age groups."

Mohammed Bin Hazam remarked: "The tournament witnessed great development since its launch several years ago, as the current edition will be competed by more than 11,000 male & female players. We are proud of this success. The tournament contributes to attaining of the UAE Football Association’s strategic goals.

Such competitions represent solid ground of creating promising players, who may contribute to winning of titles for clubs and national teams. Coaches, referees, scouts, academies, clubs and other respective parties will benefit from this tournament, which is also considered as a model of collaboration between public and private sectors in both technical and organisational sides."