Jerusalem,  For the first time ever, an official football team from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will play in Israel, the Israel Football Association (IFA) said in a statement on Sunday.

 

The UAE national under-19 team will attend Israel's annual international winter youth football tournament to be played between December 12 to 17, which also features the national youth teams of Russia, Germany, and Israel, the IFA noted.

The UAE Football Association (UAEFA) confirmed the arrival of its team on Sunday morning.

Following the peace deal signed by the UAE and Israel in 2020, the UAEFA and the IFA signed a collaboration agreement in December in Dubai, with the presence of FIFA President Gianni Infantino, UAEFA President Sheikh Rashid bin Humaid Al Nuaimi and IFA Chairman Oren Hasson, reports Xinhua.

Sheikh Al Nuaimi may join the trip to Israel, as the head of the Emirate delegation, the IFA noted.

"This is great news, a result of a warm and fruitful relationship between the two associations. Football is a wonderful means of strengthening ties between the two countries," Hasson said.