Football celebrated the return of fans to the stands after a 14-month absence following the outbreak of the "Corona" pandemic, during a historic event at the match between Al Nasr and Shabab Al Ahli in the President's Cup final yesterday at Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium in Al Ain, with fans filling 30% of the stadium's capacity of 24,000. A field survey by "Emirates Today" observed the smooth entry of fans with strict application of precautionary measures, as the stadium's surroundings were enclosed with an iron wall covered in black cloth to facilitate the early sorting of fans. This method was similarly employed by the management of Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium during the hosting of the 2018 FIFA Club World Cup and the 2019 AFC Asian Cup.
Entry was allowed for individuals showing a "COVID-19 vaccinated" status and the letter "E" through the Al Hosn app, as well as those with a star from clinical trials, with a strong emphasis on presenting a negative PCR test result no older than 48 hours, wearing masks, and maintaining physical distance. The organizing committee disinfected all areas of the stadium four hours before the match, including the stands, entry and exit corridors, locker rooms, and areas for referees and organizers. Fans were reminded to wear masks and to uphold physical distancing throughout their time inside the stadium.
The Al Ain Fans Affairs Office team assisted in organizing the entry and exit processes at the stadium gates, continuously providing reminders to adhere to precautionary measures during the match, along with offering additional masks and sanitizers. Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium donned a vibrant atmosphere before the match kickoff due to an innovative light festival featuring 300 drones that created light images of His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE; His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President of the UAE and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai; and His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces.
Shabab Al Ahli coach Mahdi Ali responded to a question from "Emirates Today" in the pre-match press conference regarding the positives of fans' return, stating: "The audience is the spice of football, and their presence is definitely important for both the coach and players. We thank the Football Association for this initiative to allow some fans to attend." The match was broadcast using 35 cameras placed around the stadium to cover every part of the arena, both inside and out, along with drone cameras and a spider camera, marking the largest number used for broadcasting any match held in the UAE to date.
This is the third time the stadium has hosted the final of the prestigious cup, following two previous editions: the first in the 2014-2015 season between Al Nasr and Al Ahli (Shabab Al Ahli), which ended in a penalty shootout victory for "The Emirati", and the second in the 2018-2019 season between Al Dhafra and Shabab Al Ahli, which concluded with the latter winning 2-1.
