Abu Dhabi, UAE: Today, Mubadala Investment Company of Abu Dhabi announced that it has completed preparations for the third edition of the Mubadala Community Football League, which is hosted in partnership with the Abu Dhabi Sports Council. The competition kicked off on 21 October in Abu Dhabi, while Al Ain will start later this month to continue until April 2019. Registration is now closed for the competition with 60 teams registering for the third edition.

The Mubadala Community Football League is aimed at fostering community engagement and promoting healthy living. The competition will also see all teams’ jerseys incorporating the logo of the Special Olympics World Games Abu Dhabi 2019.

Homaid Al Shimmari, Deputy Group CEO & Chief Corporate & Human Capital Officer at Mubadala, said: “We are really pleased with the growth in community participation for the third edition of the Mubadala Community Football League. Through partnerships like this we aim to positively impact the community by offering a range of opportunities to get involved in sports, lead an active lifestyle and have fun. It’s encouraging to see such momentum behind this great competition.

“As Official Partner of the Special Olympics World Games, Mubadala is dedicated to supporting initiatives which encourage all members of UAE society to positively contribute to the achievements of our nation. Through this competition we aim to help raise awareness for Special Olympics through the logo jerseys.” He added.

H.E. Aref Hamad Al Awani is General Secretary of Abu Dhabi Sports Council (ADSC), said: “Mubadala Community Football League is an important event that we are keen to support and develop its presence each season with our partners at Mubadala. The number of participating teams and interactions in the third edition is a strong evidence of the popularity of the tournament and its positive impact on youth.”

"We are committed to encouraging all segments of society to practice sports and getting motivated to follow a daily and healthy lifestyle, which have been reflected in the previous editions of the tournament. We look forward to strengthening these principles and objectives in the third edition as well.” H.E added.

In Abu Dhabi the teams are divided into four groups, where each group will include 12 teams. The list of final teams for Al Ain competition is currently being finalized with 20 players for each team. The final matches will take place at the National Stadium of Zayed Sports City in Abu Dhabi.