Emirates flies European Champions to Dubai

Football fans in the region can celebrate the New Year by witnessing some of the best players in the world in action when Emirates brings AC Milan, the current holders of the UEFA Champions League, to Dubai to kick off 2008.

AC Milan, undoubtedly one of the greatest football clubs in the world, will be in Dubai from 2nd January to take advantage of the perfect weather conditions and facilities available for a week of winter training. Players coming to Dubai include: Kaka, who was recently announced as European Footballer of the Year and awarded the Ballon d'Or; Ronaldo, himself a dual winner of the Ballon d'Or; Cafu and Clarence Seedorf.

During their time in Dubai, AC Milan will be playing in the Emirates Challenge, a friendly match, against the UAE National Team at the Al Maktoum Stadium at the Al Nasr Sports Club on Tuesday 8th January 2008.

Ghaith Al Ghaith, Emirates' Executive Vice President, Commercial Operations Worldwide, said: "AC Milan are without a doubt one of the greatest sports teams and a force to be reckoned with in the world of football. It is very exciting that through our partnership with AC Milan, Emirates is able to bring them to Dubai, where football fans here will be able to watch them train and then see them playing against our own UAE team."

In addition to the support of AC Milan, Emirates is an Official Partner of the FIFA World Cup with close links to FIFA and all its projects in the 2007-2014 period. At the 2006 FIFA World Cup Emirates became the first airline to be an Official Partner of the world's premier football tournament.

In 2004, Emirates and Arsenal Football Club signed the biggest club sponsorship in English football history - in addition to the Fly Emirates logo on the players' shirts, Emirates also has the naming rights of their new home, the Emirates Stadium. Emirates also sponsors Paris Saint Germain Football Club and Hamburger SV.

Tickets for the Emirates Challenge match on 8th January are available from Showbizme.com.