Israeli soccer team Maccabi Haifa will play the 'Game of Peace' in the Emirates

Maccabi Haifa FC announced on Sunday a cooperation agreement with the United Arab Emirates’ [UAE] Al-Ain FC, and the two teams are expected to meet for a friendly match in Abu Dhabi. This is a further step towards establishing diplomatic relations between the two countries following the signing of the Abraham Accords, sponsored by the United States.  

“I am happy to inform you that our club has been invited to hold a friendly soccer match called the ‘Game of Peace,’ in Abu Dhabi,” said Maccabi Haifa owner, Yaakov Shachar. "We informed them that we would be happy to play against them in Abu Dhabi and host them in our city, Haifa. Their positive and happy response has just been received and the date for the game will be set later", Shachar added in statements collected by El Correo del Golfo.  

“I have always believed it was possible to develop friendly relations through sports. We will sign a memorandum of understanding between the two clubs in a matter of days to create a relationship that will include collaborations on both the sporting and business side,” he added.  

Al-Ain is the most decorated team in UAE history and has won the local championship 13 times and the Super Cup five times. In 2018, the team reached the final of the Club World Cup, where it lost to European champions Real Madrid. Meanwhile, Maccabi Haifa is a somewhat more modest club in Israel, although with a great tradition, and in the shadow of the great Israeli giant that is Maccabi Tel Aviv. 

The agreement between the two clubs was made possible after the UAE, together with Bahrain, normalized relations with Israel in Washington on September 15, which have made it possible to establish partnerships in various fields and sectors.