The FIFA Club World Cup UAE 2009 official emblem was officially unveiled today (April 7) at a ceremony at Zayed Sports City stadium.

The FIFA Club World Cup UAE 2009 presented by Toyota will take place in Abu Dhabi from December 9 to 19, and the winning team of the current UAE football league season will be invited to compete alongside the world’s best clubs at the tournament.

The seven teams will compete over the course of eight matches for a prize fund of $16.5 million, with the winners earning $5 million.

The matches will be played in Abu Dhabi’s biggest stadiums, the 50,000-capacity Zayed Sports City stadium and the 42,000-capacity Mohammed Bin Zayed stadium.

Both stadiums are currently undergoing extensive refurbishment in preparation for the tournament.

“The UAE and Abu Dhabi look forward to welcoming the greatest clubs from every continent to our home,” said Sheikh Hazza bin Zayed Al Nahyan, honorary president of the UAE Football Association and chairman of the Abu Dhabi Sports Council.

“There is a deep and historic passion for football in the UAE and we are keen as a member of the global football family to play our part in contributing to the evolution of this prestigious competition,” he added.

“Preparations are underway to stage a magnificent tournament later this year.  As hosts, our ambition is that one of its legacies will be an even greater amount of youth participation in football, inspired by the skill and athleticism of the teams and the excitement that this world-class event will bring.”

The newly unveiled FIFA Club World Cup UAE 2009 official emblem features authentic Arabic calligraphy of the words “The Emirates” contained within a dome of red and orange hues to symbolically represent the combination of football with the warmth of the Arabian sun and the nation’s celebrated heritage.

The official emblem will be the iconic symbol of the tournament and will dress the host venues, appear on advertising and marketing materials in the UAE and across the globe, as well as on all official tournament merchandise.

“We are very much looking forward to the next two years in the United Arab Emirates,” said FIFA secretary general Jérôme Valcke.

“Football in the country is hugely popular and these are exciting times for the UAE FA. UAE teams will take part in two FIFA World Cups at U17 and U20 level in 2009, whilst at club level this has been the first season of the new professional league."

“This will be a great moment for football in the UAE,” said said Ismael Matar, member of the UAE National Team and Al-Wahda FC.

“The climate, the facilities and the local hospitality - everything will be perfect to create a top quality competition. It will be the opportunity of a lifetime for one UFL team and its players to compete here at home against the world’s best clubs in December,” he added. – TradeArabia News Service