FIFA President Gianni Infantino has met United Arab Emirates Football Association (UAEFA) President Sheikh Rashid Al Nuaimi in Dubai where they discussed football development and the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup™ which will take place in the Gulf nation. The FIFA President, who will stand unopposed for re-election in the FIFA Presidential election, also thanked Sheikh Rashid for his support. The election will take place during the 73rd FIFA Congress in Kigali, Rwanda, on 16 March. The UAE will stage the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup™ for the second time in November this year. The country was also the venue for the FIFA Club World Cup 2021™ where Chelsea defeated Palmeiras in the final. The UAE FA has used FIFA Forward funding to renovate its technical centre in Dubai, complete with floodlights that illuminate pitches used by men, women and youth team players. This allows technical programmes and coaching to run later in the day.

This infrastructure investment forms part of a wider plan within the UAEFA which includes details such as adopting a higher intensity style of play, as well as a nutrition programme tailored to each player. UAE's men are currently ranked 70th in the FIFA/Cola-Cola World Ranking, having shot up from 130th a decade ago. FIFA Forward is used to support football development in all 211 member associations with the ultimate aim or raising the standard of play around the world so that 50 national teams and club sides are capable of competing at the highest level in both men’s and women’s football. Funding for the programme has been increased by nearly 30 percent for the current four-year cycle, FIFA Forward 3.0, which began this year.