Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates – The UAE continues to consolidate its pioneering role in leading and developing the sport of mini-football at the Arab level, which was clearly embodied by its assumption of the presidency of the Arab Football Federation as of May 2025, following its first official formation.
In confirmation of this status, the UAE is hosting the Federation’s headquarters, in addition to winning the right to organize the first edition of the Arab Championship in 2026, which reflects the great confidence that the Arab federations attach to the UAE, and its ability to lead the desired transformation of the game and develop its horizons at the Arab and international levels.
To enhance this role, the game enters a new phase with the announcement by the UAE Sports For All Federation of the launch of the league and cup competitions for the upcoming season 2025-2026. This announcement is part of an integrated national strategy that aims to present a distinctive Arab model in spreading and developing the game, holding organized competitions, and qualifying technical and administrative cadres capable of managing clubs and tournaments with high efficiency, which enhances the country’s position as a regional platform for quality sports.
This current leadership builds on previous global successes, most notably the successful hosting of the fourth edition of the FIFA Mini-World Cup in Ras Al Khaimah in 2023, as part of a strategic move by FIFA aimed at enhancing its reach in the region, given the country’s vital geographical location and its leading position on the global sports map.
These Emirati efforts come in line with the significant global growth witnessed by mini-football. According to data from the International Federation, the game is currently played in 144 countries, and between 70 and 75% of the world’s countries have recognized national federations, with expectations that this percentage will increase in the coming years.
The World Mini-Football Championship is played every two years with the participation of teams from different continents, and with the participation of 6 players for each team, on stadiums with smaller dimensions than traditional football stadiums, using artificial turf and an overhead net to prevent the ball from coming out.
In an important development, the FIFA General Assembly, in its last meeting in Azerbaijan, approved the qualification system for the sixth edition of the World Cup in 2027 through continental tournaments, including the Asian Cup and the African Cup, in addition to the Arab Championship scheduled to be organized in the UAE in 2026.
This leadership has been widely praised by the game’s leading figures. Saeed Al-Ajil, President of the Arab Mini-Football Federation and Vice President of the Asian Federation for West Asia, confirmed that the next phase will witness significant growth in the game, in light of the increasing demand for its practice, official support from national federations, media attention, and the emergence of promising talents in various Arab and Gulf countries.
Al-Ajil explained that the establishment of the Arab Federation received great support from the International Federation and official approval from the Federation of Arab Federations, which represents a strong start to spread the game and expand its base in the Arab world, based on the universal sporting values and its role in consolidating cultural and human relations between peoples.
Ashraf Ben Salha, Vice President of the International Federation of Mini-Football and President of the African Confederation, considered that the expansion and development witnessed by the game reflects the success of the partnership between the International Federation and the continental and national federations, expecting greater growth in its popularity during the next stage, especially in light of the records in public attendance and global views of the game’s tournaments.
Adel Sulaibikh, Secretary General of the Bahrain Mini Football Association, pointed out that the game has witnessed remarkable development since the launch of the first edition of the World Cup in 2015 in the United States, stressing the Kingdom of Bahrain’s interest in hosting the sixth edition of the tournament in 2027, after the successful participation of its national team in the Azerbaijan edition.
With these integrated efforts, the UAE embodies its pivotal role in shaping the future of mini-football, achieving a qualitative shift that keeps pace with the growing global interest in this game, and consolidating its position as a leading sports destination at the regional and international levels.
