FIFA to hold historic women’s friendly series in United Arab Emirates

As part of FIFA’s commitment to bringing the game to all, the FIFA Unites: Women’s Series is scheduled to kick off in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, between Thursday, 23 October and Wednesday, 29 October this year.

The historic four-team women’s football event reinforces FIFA’s efforts to promote and protect the right of all women and girls to play the sport, pursue their footballing dreams and thrive through the game.

The event will mark the first involvement in an international tournament of the Afghan women’s refugee team, a project pioneered by FIFA and a leading initiative in the sporting world.

The Afghans will face the national teams of Chad, Libya and the United Arab Emirates.

Playing on their own patch, the UAE team  –  who are coached by vastly experienced Dutchwoman Vera Pauw – will be looking to build on their recent progress, while the squads from Chad and Libya harbour ambitions of making their FIFA Women’s World Ranking debuts.

“Ensuring that all women have access to football is a priority for FIFA and a key element in shaping the future of our sport,” said FIFA President Gianni Infantino.

“We are aware of the potential the game has both on and off the pitch. These friendly matches represent more than just a competition; they are a symbol of hope and progress for women all over the world. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all those who are contributing to this event, including the United Arab Emirates Football Association for hosting a historic event that puts the players in the international spotlight.”

To be staged during the upcoming Type II window of the Women’s International Match Calendar, the series organised by FIFA, which involves a round-robin format, will see each team contest three matches. The side with the most points will be declared the winners. All the matches will be streamed live on FIFA+ for a global audiences.

FIFA made changes in the women;s calendar last year for the international matches.

They removed the window for international matches in September and introduced two types and have the confederations adhere to them as well so the players can be available to play for their countries guarenteed that there are at least 10 weeks between a major international tournament and the subsequent window.

Type I windows are nine days long, with “up to two matches permitted to be played by national teams.”

On the other hand, Type II windows are 12 days long, with “up to three matches permitted to be played by national teams.”