Pro League Committee Says Arabian Gulf Super Cup Will Be 'Historic'

The Arabian Gulf Super Cup -- UAE football’s traditional season opener -- will reportedly be a “unique” and “historic” affair when it is held in Cairo next month, according to Euan Reedie of the GULF NEWS. The Pro League Committee said that switching the clash between 2016 Arabian Gulf League champions Al Ahli and President’s Cup holders Al Jazira to Egypt would add “new fraternal dimensions” with the UAE. It is the first time that the showpiece -- which was originally due to take place next Sunday, but which will now be held on Sept. 13 -- "will be played outside the Emirates since its inception" in '08. PLC Chair Abdullah Nasser Al Junaibi said, "This will be a unique game and mark a new and historical stage in our football." The venue will be the Cairo Military Production Stadium, which has a capacity of 30,800, and "Al Ahli and Al Jazira will be given an equal distribution of tickets for the game." Officials said that Cairo "was chosen ahead of Munich and London" (GULF NEWS, 8/7).