Sharjah: Under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Crown Prince and Deputy Ruler of Sharjah, and Chairman of the Sharjah Executive Council (SEC), a new sporting tournament has been launched.

The Sharjah International Footgolf tournament, organised by the Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA) in collaboration with Air Arabia and Sharjah Sports Council, is the first of its kind in the region and kicked off today (Thursday) at the Sharjah Golf and Shooting Club with participation of more than 130 players from 21 countries, competing for the title and total prize of USD $40,000

The details of the sporting event were announced during a press conference held today (Thursday) in the presence of HE Khalid Jasim Al Midfa, Chairman of the SCTDA; HE Issa Hilal Al Hazami, Chairman of the Sharjah Sports Council; Steve Crane, Executive Director of Pro FootGolf Tours; Ziad Al Sharabi, General Manager of the Sharjah Golf and Shooting Club; journalists as well as media representatives.

Coinciding with the tournament’s launch, the SCDTA is hosting 16 ex-football stars from around the world to compete in an exciting padel-tennis tournament at the Sheraton Sharjah Beach Resort & Spa between January 13 – 14.

International gains

In his keynote speech, HE Khalid Jasim Al Midfa, Chairman, SCTDA, stressed that under the leadership of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, the emirate has been successful in forging connections between tourism, culture and sports, in addition to achieving significant milestones and bolstering Sharjah's status on the global map regarding culture, development, and tourism.

HE added: "Many studies attest to the importance of sports tourism in economic and social development and strengthening relationships between cultures. According to figures from the UN's World Tourism Organisation, sports attracted about 15 million tourists every year before the pandemic, constituting 10% of the tourism industry, and generated an estimated USD $800 billion in revenue. Sharjah has always believed in the importance of sports in improving the population's lifestyle and has been a leader in hosting local and international sporting events."

Strengthening sports investments

HE Issa Hilal Al Hazami, Chairman of Sharjah Sports Council, said: "The Sharjah

International Footgolf tournament is another incentive for people to visit Sharjah and

the UAE, and with the participation of ex-football stars competing in the padel-tennis

matches we are sure this launch will be a great success. The sporting event will play

a pivotal role in bolstering the emirate's status on the global tourism map and asserts

sports investments as an important element in diversifying the emirate's economy."

Gateway to sports in the region

Steve Crane, Executive Director of Pro FootGolf Tours, said: "We are excited to see

this new and first-of-its-kind initiative in the region through hosting the International

Footgolf tournament. Footgolf is a skillful and athletic sport that combines two of the

world's most famous sports, football and golf. We are confident that the tournament

will be highly successful due to the professional organisation and facilities, establishing Sharjah as a gateway and launchpad for the sport as it grows in the region. Hosting an amazing lineup of ex-football stars will also help to grab people's

attention and gain interest about the tournament."

Sharjah shows world-class organising capabilities

Ben Clarke, ranked the top player in Footgolf, commented: "I am excited to play this

tournament and share experiences with professional players from around the world

as part of an event in which Sharjah has demonstrated its world-class organising

capabilities."

Advanced sports and tourism movement

Ziad Al Sharabi, General Manager of the Sharjah Golf and Shooting Club, said: "We

are keen on seeing this tournament further develop Sharjah’s vibrant sports scene

and culture, strengthening the emirate’s status as the go-to destination for various

international championships, and promote Sharjah’s experience, atmosphere,

capabilities and sports infrastructure."

Today (Thursday) the ex-football stars showcased their skills in footgolf as well as taking part in a tour of Sharjah, to explore a number of the emirate's popular tourist and heritage destinations.

Footgolf rounds

The first round of Footgolf will kick off on Friday at 8:30 am and will conclude at 3pm at Sharjah Golf and Shooting Club. The second round will be held on Saturday between 2:30pm and 9:30pm. The closing and awarding ceremony will commence shortly after that, at 10pm.

Padel-tennis

Sixteen ex-football stars will compete in the padel tennis tournament that kicks off at 2pm on Friday 13^th, and concludes at 5:30pm on Saturday 14^th. The two-day competition at the Sheraton Sharjah Beach Resort & Spa will include eight teams comprising two players each, and will provide exciting matches between these legendary ex-football stars. The teams are divided as follows:

Team 1: Totti and Annoni; Team 2: Marcolin and Seedorf, Team 3: Oddo and Brocchi; Team 4: Dida and Costacurta; Team 5: Fuser and Signori; Team 6: Ba and Frey; Team 7: Donadoni and Eranio; while Team 8 features Antonini and Zaccardo.