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UAE FA increases the number of professional clubs to 14

The UAE Football Association has decided to increase the number of the Etisalat Pro League clubs for the new 2012-2013 season to 14 teams, with two more clubs, unlike to what has been applied in the last seasons. A four-team play-off tournament including Sharjah and Emirates who were relegated this season and Al Shaab and Al Dhafra who finished in the third and fourth positions in the first division league will be held before the kick-off of the upcoming season. The top two finishers of this play-off contest will be the two additional teams for the next season.

This was announced by Yousuf Yaagoub Al Sarkal, Chairman of the UAE Football Association in a press conference held this evening at the Association headquarters in Dubai after the meeting of the Board of Directors. The meeting was attended by the duo vice presidents of the UAE FA Mohammed Thani Al Rumaithi and Obeid Salem Al Shamsi, and the Members: Mohammed Abdul Aziz, Nasir Al Yamahi, Mohammed Haji Khoury, Mohammed Omar, Yousuf Khoury, Ghanim Ahmed Ghanim, Rashed Al Zaabi and Saeed Obaid Al Tinaiji.

Al Sarkal declared that the Board of Directors has discussed the issue from its all aspects and found it will be in favour of the UAE football to start the new season with 14 teams. He said a four-team tournament will be held including Sharjah, Emirates, Al Dhafra and Al Shaab, and the Competitions Committee will determine the mechanism and timing of the quartet tournament.