“Al-Abyad” faces Armenia and Comoros in Abu Dhabi

Emirates Today learned that the technical staff of the first UAE national football team has decided to hold a short preparation camp in Abu Dhabi during the next international break (FIFA Days) this March, with the aim of making the most technical benefit from the period of cessation of local activities, especially the professional league.

The camp will include two friendly matches, the first against the Armenia national team, while the second is expected to be against the Comoros national team, and the camp will be held during the period from 23 to 30 March.

This move comes within the framework of the team’s preparations for the upcoming competitions, most notably the Arabian Gulf Cup “Gulf 27” scheduled in Saudi Arabia during the period from September 23 to October 6, in addition to participation in the 2027 Asian Cup in Saudi Arabia during the period from January 7 to February 5, 2027. The technical staff had developed an integrated preparation program that includes external and internal camps, in addition to friendly matches, to ensure the best possible readiness for the next stage. The last period witnessed intensive follow-up by the technical staff, led by Romanian coach Olario Cosmin, of local club matches in various competitions, to determine the levels of players and choose the elements most ready to join the ranks of the national team.

During the upcoming camps, the technical staff seeks to address the mistakes and negatives that accompanied the team’s journey in the past period, which led to not qualifying for the 2026 World Cup, despite being close to reaching the finals after obtaining more than one opportunity to reserve a transit ticket.

It is expected that the next stage will witness intensive coordination between the administrative and technical bodies to provide all the necessary requirements for the success of the preparation program, especially with regard to participation in “Gulf 27.”

It is also expected that the new list will witness the inclusion of a number of players for the first time, while retaining most of the elements that participated in the recent competitions, most notably the 2025 Arab Cup, which was held in Doha, during which “Al-Abyad” finished in third place equally with the Saudi national team, after the third-place match was canceled due to rain.

• The next camp will be in Abu Dhabi from March 23 to 30, and aims to make the most artistic use of the period of cessation of local activities.