Dubai: A revised 2015/16 UAE domestic football calendar could be announced this week after the postponement of December’s Gulf Cup in Kuwait.
The biennial eight-nation tournament involving the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Iraq, Bahrain, Oman and Yemen besides hosts Kuwait was due to be played between December 22 and January 4, but will now be played in December 2016 or January 2017 after organisers requested more time to ensure stadiums were in top condition for the competition.
That in turn will affect domestic seasons around the GCC, with league organisers no longer having to account for a month-long winter break for the national team tournament.
The UAE football season was due to start with the Arabian Gulf Super Cup on August 15, the Arabian Gulf League on August 19 and the Arabian Gulf League Cup on August 27. But the schedule could now be pushed back by a month, with all the action likely to start from mid-September.
The Pro League Committee (PLC) has yet to confirm the decision and a PLC spokesperson refused to speculate on the issue when pressed for comment on Tuesday. The spokesperson said a statement would be released in the coming days, with any changes coming only after all 14 league clubs had been consulted.
