The UAE mini football team has secured a sponsorship deal with Wilkio just days before the Asian Championship in Indonesia. The agreement, announced at the National Olympic Committee headquarters in Dubai, comes as the team finishes a two-month training camp and prepares for a crucial qualifying campaign for the 2027 World Cup in the Czech Republic.
AFC reports that 31 teams participated in the Asian Cup qualifiers, divided into eight groups, with group winners and the seven best runners-up advancing to the final tournament.
Saed Al Ajeel, President of the UAE Sports for All Federation and head of the mini football executive committee, credited Wilkio's sponsorship as a key factor in supporting the team's Asian campaign. He also thanked the technical and administrative staff for their work during the Dubai-based training period and welcomed the confirmed club participation for the upcoming domestic season. The UAE team reached the Asian Cup finals after a close qualification run, including a 3:2 win over Turkmenistan in Group F, as reported by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC).
While the national team focuses on international qualification, the executive committee has set out a full domestic calendar for 2026-2027. Sarmeed Al Zadjali, executive director of the mini football committee, outlined a season starting on 6 October with the Super Cup, where league and cup champions and runners-up will compete in a knockout format. The fourth UAE Cup will follow, along with the Premier League and First Division, ending with the national cup final. Al Zadjali also explained the eligibility rules for club participation, aiming to raise competitive standards. In the final Group F standings, Iraq finished first, while the UAE advanced as one of the best second-placed teams after Iraq defeated the UAE 2:1, according to AFC data.
According to AFC, the UAE completed their qualification campaign with a win over Turkmenistan, but Iraq topped Group F. The UAE progressed to the Asian Cup finals as one of the best runners-up, highlighting the competitiveness of the group and the importance of every match result in the qualification process.
