New guidelines to recruit football players for clubs

Sheikh Mansoor bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Dubai Sports Council, approved a set of guidelines developed by the Dubai Sports Council for scouting, recruiting and contracting players in football clubs and companies in Dubai.

The guidelines, approved under Decision No. (1) of 2023 and effective from the date of their issuance, will be implemented by the Dubai Sports Council and football companies and clubs in Dubai.

Sheikh Mansoor noted that the guidelines are part of the strategic plan for developing the sports sector in Dubai, whose objectives include improving the performance of sports teams and raising Dubai’s profile as a sporting destination.

“We issued directives to the Dubai Sports Council to ensure the guidelines are implemented in all football clubs and companies in Dubai. The Council will review the guidelines regularly to make any amendments necessary to keep pace with Dubai’s evolving strategic priorities in the sporting sector,” he said.

The newly-issued guidelines aim to regulate football player recruitment in Dubai through the following measures:

1. Restructuring the recruitment unit within football clubs in accordance with international standards.

2. Creating a mechanism for scouting and recruiting local and international players for the main team or the football academy, in accordance with global standards adopted by professional football clubs and companies.

3. Creating clear contracting processes for recruiting players.

4. Creating a mechanism for overseeing recruitment procedures and ensuring their adherence to governance standards to reduce costs and risks associated with the recruitment process.