Abu Dhabi (UAE) – The International Federation of Corporate Football (FIFCO) announced today the fifth edition of the FIFCO World Corporate Champions Cup is to be hosted in Abu Dhabi in November, supported by Abu Dhabi Convention & Exhibition Bureau, part of the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi). FIFCO is committing to a 3-year program that will allow the expansion of the Corporate Champions Cup series of tournaments in Abu Dhabi.

FIFCO is the world governing body of the sport and is headquartered in Montreal, Canada. Founded in 2009 and recognized as a National non-profit association in 2011, FIFCO was recently commended by the United Nations Football for the Goals Programme.

“We are absolutely delighted to be able to have our premier tournament hosted in Abu Dhabi,” said Albert Zbily, President of FIFCO. “This is an excellent opportunity to showcase the cultural aspects of this world-class city.”

The three-day tournament will be held at the Al-Forsan International Sports Resort from 3-5 November 2023 and will feature the employee-athletes of 16 companies from 16 countries. This unique football event is hosted every year to showcase the importance of employee engagement in a healthy work-life balance. The companies range from large state-owned enterprises to IT startups and the event allows each team member to network with other company employees during this 5v5 footballing event.

“The Abu Dhabi Convention & Exhibition Bureau works to continuously grow the emirate’s MICE sector by showcasing Abu Dhabi as the ideal business events hub across diverse segments, including sporting organisations,” said Mubarak Al Shamisi, Director of Abu Dhabi Convention & Exhibition Bureau, DCT Abu Dhabi. “We are proud to welcome FIFCO’s corporate gathering and look forward to the growth opportunities it will present in the UAE capital.”

The first FIFCO World Corporate Champions Cup took place in 2018 in Montreal, Canada when a small startup from Mexico won the first title. The event has since moved to Monaco and most recently to Dubai. This is the third time FIFCO will host it in the United Arab Emirates with their local partner High Five Events.

“The FIFCO concept is unique, where else can you get employees from various countries together under one roof all in the name of football,” said Bahi Rifai, President of High Five Events. “This is the opportunity to play the game we love, while networking with different business leaders.”

The tournament is open to the general public who are encouraged to attend and support these employee-athletes as they battle to become the next World Corporate Champion.

“We are delighted to be part of this world-class tournament,” said Omar Al-Ali, CEO of Nirvana Travel and Tourism, the company taking care of the logistics and management of this year’s FIFCO World Corporate Champions Cup. “Working with such a wide range of different companies and individuals makes the experience all that more exciting.”