(MENAFN- Khaleej Times)The new season of the Arabian Gulf League is likely to go ahead as scheduled sources told the Khaleej Times on Tuesday.
There were some doubts regarding the start of the UAE top flight as well as other domestic leagues in the Middle East owing to the postponement of the Gulf Cup in Kuwait. A decision to postpone the 23rd edition of the Gulf Cup of Nations was taken during a meeting of representatives of the six GCC countries as well as Iraq and Yemen at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Kuwait last Monday on the request of the request from the Kuwait Football Federation last week. The competition was set to take place from from December 25 2015 to January 7 2016 and was postponed to December 2016 or January 2017. And the knock on effect was the Arabian Gulf League was to be delayed from mid-August to mid-September. But the Pro League Committee (PLC) issued a press release on Tuesday regarding a security co-ordination meeting with the police to discuss the security for the Arabian Gulf Super Cup the traditional season-opener. The Arabian Gulf Super Cup between defending Arabian Gulf League champions Al Ain and Al Nasr I scheduled to be held at the Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium in the Capital on Saturday night. Sources said that with the Arabian Gulf Super Cup set to kick-off on schedule the Arabian Gulf League too would begin on August 19 although no official confirmation has come from the PLC. Al Ahli will get the new season going with a fixture against Al Fujairah at the Rashid Stadium. The Red Knights begin the campaign early so as to prepare for the AFC Champions League quarterfinal first leg fixture against Naft Tehran away on August 26. Al Ain and Al Nasr have returned from their pre-season training camp. Meanwhile the PLC held a co-ordination meeting with Police and security services ahead of Saturday's Arabian Gulf Super Cup scheduled to kick off at 7.40 p.m. The meeting held at the venue and chaired by Suhail Al Areefi CEO of the Pro League Committee was attended by representatives of Abu Dhabi Police the private security firm tasked with stewarding the match and representatives of both participating clubs - Al Ain and Al Nasr - and the host club Al Jazira. The previous Arabian Gulf Super Cup coordination meeting held in July before the departure of the teams for their pre-season training camps in Europe saw the confirmation of both teams' kits for the match. "Through today's meeting we aimed to discuss all safety and security matters related to Saturday's match including the procedures to ensure smooth entry to the stadium for fans and the types of banners and props permitted in the stadium for fans to support and cheer on their teams" Suhail Al Areefi CEO of the PLC said on Tuesday. "We are keen to coordinate thoroughly with all parties and this meeting follows on from an earlier meeting in July during which various detailed technical elements were discussed and agreed upon" Al Areefi added.
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