The Federation Cup tournament starts tomorrow

The Federation Cup Championship returns to the spotlight again tomorrow with the start of the preliminary round competitions for the tournament organized by the UAE Football Association for the 2025-2026 season, with the participation of 46 teams from first, second and third division clubs..

The preliminary round matches will be held over the course of Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, with the participation of the second and third division club teams, in a single-match knockout system, with 14 teams, in addition to the three teams that qualified directly during the draw, qualifying to meet the first division clubs (15 teams) in the round of 32. If any match ends in a draw after regular time, penalty kicks will be resorted directly to determine the winning team.

The organization of the tournament reflects the Football Association’s keenness and constant commitment to providing an integrated competitive environment that contributes to developing the clubs’ performance and refining the players’ skills, in a way that serves UAE football in the long term and enhances its development path.

The Second Vice President of the Football Association, Chairman of the Competitions Committee, Obaid Salem Al Shamsi, said, “The return of the Federation Cup championship comes within the goals of the Football Association for the current season and its keenness to bring about development in football competitions for amateur clubs, ensuring the sustainability of competition and raising the level of technical and physical performance of the players. The tournament will contribute to increasing the number of official matches that the technical staff needs to increase expertise and raise the technical and physical levels of the players.”

He added, “We are keen to develop the first, second and third division club competitions, and we always seek through them to expand the participation base at the level of all categories, in a way that serves our aspirations in building a new generation of players with a higher degree of professionalism. We also seek, through the return of the tournament, to revive the memory of the strong competitions that have always been associated with the name of the Federation Cup.”

He concluded, “We look forward to the new edition of the Federation Cup being a qualitative addition to the current season’s competitions, and being a platform for presenting enjoyable football that reflects the development of amateur clubs and their great ambitions to compete and achieve achievements.”