A SEASON OF GIVING AND ACHIEVEMENTS SEASON 2016 - 2017 2017 – 2020 STRATEGY…THE ROAD TO THE TOP ARABIAN GULF 11 HUMANITARIAN ARAB FOOTBALL LEAGUE IS ASIA’S INITIATIVES IN OUR LEGENDS GRACE TOP STADIUMS IN THE YEAR AWARDS CEREMONY OF GIVING SAVE WITH ADIB GHINA TO BE WON THIS YEAR GRAND PRIZES WINNERS EVERY MONTH* 500542 519923 Over AED 90 million has been won by Ghina savers since launch. Join Ghina and you too can be: 500542 • A winner of AED 3 million every 4 months! 519923 • One of the 20 winners of AED 10,000 every month. Saving and winning with Ghina is easy: For every AED 20,000 you save in your Ghina Savings Account every calendar month, you receive one coupon that is automatically entered into the draw. So join Ghina today! Call 800 2882, SMS ‘GHINA’ to 2400 or visit any of our branches. Already an ADIB customer? Open your Ghina Savings Account online in seconds! Earn profit on your balances, and access your savings anytime through ATM, mobile or branches. *Terms & conditions apply. The ADIB Ghina prizes are awarded at ADIB’s discretion and derive specifically from the shareholder’s profit. The main purpose of the ADIB Ghina Savings Account is yielding Shari’a-compliant profits based on MUDARABA. ADIB Staff are excluded from the Ghina draws. ADIBTV facebook.com/ADIB @adib_bank @ADIBstories Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank @ADIBTweets adib.ae 800 2882 SAVE WITH ADIB GHINA «A BRIGHT FUTURE» With the beginning of each season, The Pro League Asian Player of The Year, and Ali Mabkhout the AFC committee is refilled with enthusiasm and ambitions, Asian Cup top goalscorer for the same year, it was as it is the entity that is primarily in charge of devel- the turn of Omar Abdulrahman to join them in the hall opment of UAE football through the various domestic of fame after winning the 2016 Asian Player of The competitions, in addition to proposing and applying Year Award. positive ideas and visions and put them into action, in TO BE WON THIS YEAR In 2016/17, the Arabian Gulf League did not only de- order to achieve high levels of succession and move liver beautiful football and exciting competition, but forward with steady steps to reach our dream of be- it also touched hearts and brought joy to all walks of ing one of the most developed countries in the tech- society with its humanitarian and community initiative nical, administrative and organizational aspects of implemented by the PLC to put into action the instruc- football. We also work on maintaining our position on tions of our wise leaders, in line with the announce- GRAND PRIZES the map of football on the regional and Asian level, ment of His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al through continuous effort to progress over time with Nahyan, President of the UAE, declaring 2017 as the big steps forward. Year of Giving in the country. WINNERS EVERY MONTH* The Pro League Committee organizes a number These success stories are dedicated in first place to of projects every season, in addition to introducing the UAE’s wise leadership, which drew the road map and implementing many ideas and development pro- to distinction with their continued support and sound grams and events. These are aimed at raising the advice. We also dedicate these stories to our part- level of local competitions and educating all person- 500542 ners in success; sponsors, clubs, media and fans. 519923 nel in relation with professional clubs by providing We dedicate them to everyone who belongs to the them with up-to-date news to keep up with what is Arabian Gulf League matrix, opening a new page full happening around us in the world of football and the Over AED 90 million has been won by Ghina savers since launch. of continued hard work to deliver an even more excit- developmental changes that International and Asian Join Ghina and you too can be: ing, developed and fiercer competition. federations are creating for global football. 500542 519923 • A winner of AED 3 million every 4 months! What the PLC has delivered since the start of the pro- Delighted, we are, as we conclude an exceptional • One of the 20 winners of AED 10,000 every month. fessional era in 2007/08 until the end of the 2016/17 season in the history of the Arabian Gulf League. is merely a small part of the ideas the committee Saving and winning with Ghina is easy: A season with many a shining spot, a season with holds and aims to bring into reality to further advance everything enjoyable, exciting and humane. A sea- For every AED 20,000 you save in your Ghina Savings Account every calendar month, you and progress UAE football. We continue to strive for son that saw the launch of the 2017-20 strategic plan receive one coupon that is automatically entered into the draw. a brighter future. to be the road map to more excellence. A season that So join Ghina today! Call 800 2882, SMS ‘GHINA’ to 2400 or visit any of our branches. saw the Arabian Gulf League reign supreme in Asia Abdulla Naser Al Junaibi Already an ADIB customer? Open your Ghina Savings Account online in seconds! Earn profit as it was named the top-ranking league in the AFC domestic competitions ranking. Our players climbed Chairman – The Pro League Committee on your balances, and access your savings anytime through ATM, mobile or branches. podiums, after Ahmed Khalil was named the 2015 *Terms & conditions apply. The ADIB Ghina prizes are awarded at ADIB’s discretion and derive specifically from the shareholder’s profit. The main purpose of the ADIB Ghina Savings Account is yielding Shari’a-compliant profits based on MUDARABA. ADIB Staff are excluded from the Ghina draws. 2016-17 A SEASON OF GIVING AND ACHIEVEMENTS I 3 ADIBTV facebook.com/ADIB @adib_bank @ADIBstories Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank @ADIBTweets adib.ae 800 2882 CONTENTS Al Ahli, Al Jazira and 6 Al Wahda Share the Season’s Honours Arabian Gulf League Tops 16 Asian Rankings Twice in a Row 2017 – 2020 Strategic Plan Maps the 26 Road to the Top Arab Football Legends 30 Shine in Arabian Gulf Awards Gala Ambitious Projects and 48 Initiatives to Develop the League. PLC Delivers 11 Initiatives 56 in the Year of Giving. 4 I 2016-17 A SEASON OF GIVING AND ACHIEVEMENTS FOLLOW US 2016-17 A SEASON OF GIVING AND ACHIEVEMENTS I 5 AL AHLI, AL WAHDA AND AL JAZIRA SHARE THE SEASON’S TITLES Following a ninth season of fierce competition or- At the foot of the table, the battle as equally heat- ganised by the PLC, and across four competitions ed. Dibba, Emirates, Kalba and Bani Yas all fought throughout eight months of actions, the 2016/17 sea- to their last breath to avoid relegation to the first di- son came to conclusion on the 14th of May. vision. Ultimately, it was Bani Yas and Kalba who left the Arabian Gulf League while Emirates and Dibba The battle was heated between the professional lived to fight another season. clubs to collect silverware and achieve the honour of climbing on the podium. The Arabian Gulf League Al Wahda and Al Ain fought out the Under 21 League saw competition reach new heights at both ends of until the final round as Al Wahda emerged victorious. the table, especially in the final rounds of the com- petition. Three clubs shared the 2016/17 season trophies. Al Ahli walked away with the Arabian Gulf Super The race was tight as Al Jazira, Al Wasl, Al Ahli and Cup and the Arabian Gulf Cup titles, Al Jazira were Al Ain fought week in and week out to assume the crowned Arabian Gulf League champions, while Al summit of the table. With one round to go, it was Al Wahda added the President Cup title to their Under Jazira who clinched the title. 21 League success. AL AHLI CELEBRATE ARABIAN GULF SUPER CUP TRIUMPH IN CAIRO Al Ahli were crowned the ninth champions of the Ara- bian Gulf Super Cup, lifting the 2016/17 trophy after beating Al Jazira 2-1 on Tuesday the 13th of Septem- ber 2016 at the 30th of June Stadium in the Egyptian capital Cairo. For the first time in the PLC competitions’ history, the Super Cup was played abroad. A fantastic fan- fare and a tremendous crowd were in present as the players delivered a memorable match in what was an ideal final in all technical, administrative and organi- sational aspects. With the victory, Al Ahli reached a record four Super Cup titles, having won the competition in 2008/09, 2013/14, 2014/15 and finally in 2016/17. Ahmed Khalil receives Arabian Gulf Super Cup Trophy 6 I 2016-17 A SEASON OF GIVING AND ACHIEVEMENTS CHAMPIONS OF THE SEASON AND A THIRD ARABIAN GULF CUP TITLE Al Ahli lifted the 2016/17 Arabian Gulf Cup trophy af- ter beating Al Shabab 2-0 courtesy of a brace from Senegalese striker Makhete Diop in a final that took place on the evening of Saturday the 1st of April 2017 at Al Nasr Club’s Al Maktoum Stadium. The title is a record third in Al Ahli’s history, after wins in 2011/12 and 2013/14. Al Shabab had won the cup once in 2010/11. 2016-17 A SEASON OF GIVING AND ACHIEVEMENTS I 7 AL JAZIRA ARABIAN GULF LEAGUE CHAMPIONS FOR THE SECOND TIME 8 I 2016-17 A SEASON OF GIVING AND ACHIEVEMENTS CHAMPIONS OF THE SEASON His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chairman of Al Jazira Football Company, His Highness Sheikh Zayed bin Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Marwan bin Ghalita, President of the UAE Football Association, Abdulla Al Junaibi, Chairman of the Pro League Committee and Saeed Al Tunaiji, Vice-President of the UAE Football Association crowned Al Jazira the ninth champions of the Arabian Gulf League for the second time in the club history.