The new season kicks off with the "Commit to Win" tour of the Arabian Gulf Cup

The new season will officially begin tomorrow with the holding of the first round of the Arabian Gulf Cup, which will be launched under the name "We Commit to Win".

The Professional League confirmed in a press statement that the slogan is "a call to all football fans and followers to continue adhering to preventive and precautionary measures to limit the spread of the new Corona virus (Covid 19)."

The Association also called on professional clubs to decorate their stadiums with awareness panels in support of the initiative.

And the number of the League is the most prominent variables in the new season:

The Arab Gulf Cup in a new look

, the Professional League has made many amendments to the competition system, which was launched for the first time in 2008, so instead of holding the first round competitions in a two-group system, the competitions of this version will be held in a knockout system, where the first round of the two rounds will be held.

The draw determines the parties to the matches, while the champions of the Arabian Gulf League and the Arab Gulf Cup champion qualify for the quarter-finals directly.

The quarter-finals and semi-finals are held in the home and away system, with the final being one match at a neutral stadium.

The new system ensures that the number of matches played by teams in this competition is reduced, which makes it more competitive and exciting.

The League made another amendment related to the young players in the lists of the participating teams in the Arabian Gulf Cup, reducing the number from 5 players born in 1997 and above to only three players in the list of each team, with the abolition of the clause for the participation of three of them since the beginning of the match.

Amendments and health protocol

Based on the temporary amendment made by the International Federation to the law of the game, the new season's competitions will witness an increase in the number of substitutions to five for each team, provided that they are made in only three chances that each team performs during the match or between the two halves to avoid wasting time.

The matches are also held without a public presence, while studying the situation in an up-to-date and following the directions of the concerned authorities towards the return of the fans.

The League has taken many precautionary measures to preserve the safety of the players, technical and administrative staff, and all those present at the venue for the matches, including the obligation to show a negative result of the Covid-19 examination (PCR) whose validity does not exceed 72 hours from the date of the examination, and to wear medical or three-layer masks. For all persons present on the stadium, including the substitute players and the technical and administrative staff, except for the coach, the players participating in the warm-up and the match and the arena referees.

The measures also include temperature checks for everyone on the stadium, constant cleaning and disinfection of stadiums, and the maintenance of a distance of two meters between those sitting on the bench while using the fans' seats located behind the bench.

Regarding the procedures for entering and leaving the two teams from the stadium before the match, in the halftime break, and after the end of the match, the presence of accompanying children has been canceled, the traditional handshake between the players of the two teams and group photos will be canceled, as separate photos will be taken for each team with a commitment to social distancing, and the exchange of shirts between Players and gathered them in the midfield circle before the start of the second half.

The protocol on media activities included canceling television interviews before the match, not photographing dressing rooms at any time, and adhering to a two-meter spacing when photographing players and conducting interviews, and when present in the media platform and press conference room, and canceling mixed zone activities except for rights-owned channels.

Sound effects

In line with the precautionary measures to limit the spread of the new Corona virus, and in the interest of the safety of the masses, matches are held without a public presence, so the UAE Professional League will apply sound effects through television broadcasts, where the service will be provided from the stadiums to reach the viewer via screens.

New virtual visual elements The

viewer and observer of the UAE Professional League competitions will be able to see new virtual visual elements during the broadcast of some matches such as logos, statistics, in addition to virtual decorative panels on the stands in a global step ahead.

In doing so, it will be the pioneer and first association in the region in implementing this initiative with the aim of enhancing the match experience.

The "Nike Flight" ball

The UAE Professional League competitions for the 2020-2021 season will witness the use of the new Nike Flight Ball, the ball that was manufactured after the result of 8 years of continuous research in Nike Labs on the dynamics of the ball's flight. 800 athletes participated in the test, who tried 68 different models.

The new Nike Flight consists of four surfaces connected to each other instead of 12 surfaces, which reduces the number of meeting points and facilitates the shot of the ball from any side, and ensures the same performance, whether in rainy or dry climates with ACC technology.

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