‘Legends Padel Tour’ ignites ‘Sharjah’s Week of Stars’ with iconic football players

The groundbreaking event held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Crown Prince, Deputy Ruler of Sharjah and Chairman of the Sharjah Executive Council

Over 200 renowned international athletes, including 23 celebrated football legends, are participating in the inaugural ‘Sharjah’s Week of the Stars’, which kicked off today, Wednesday, 10th January and will last till Saturday, 13th January, under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Crown Prince, Deputy Ruler of Sharjah and Chairman of the Sharjah Executive Council.

Organised by the Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA), the groundbreaking event, which features elite international retired football stars and legends from 23 countries, aims to elevate the emirate’s tourism landscape and boost its global tourism status by showcasing its attractions and cultural landmarks to a worldwide audience.

The detailed program of ‘Sharjah’s Week of the Stars’ was unveiled during a press conference organised by the SCTDA on Wednesday, in the presence of HE Khaled Jasim Al Midfa, Chairman of SCTDA, Nabil Ashour, Director of the Support Services Department at Sharjah Sports Council, and Steve Crane, Executive Director of Pro FootGolf Tours.

Joining the press conference also were Ali Abdullah Arif, CEO of World Padel Academy; Abdelrahman Bin Taliah, Director of Executive Affairs at Air Arabia; Massimiliano Suglia, Director General of the International Football Development Association (IFDA); Ukrainian football star Andriy Shevchenko; and Ziad Al Sharabi, General Manager of Sharjah Golf and Shooting Club.

The inaugural ‘Sharjah’s Week of the Stars’ will commence this evening with the ‘Legends Padel Tour’ featuring 16 international football stars and legends who will compete for the tournament held at the World Padel Academy in Sharjah.

The premier event will continue on Thursday with an exclusive tour of Sharjah’s landmarks to offer football stars insights into the emirate’s dynamic development landscape, with a focus on its thriving tourism and sports sectors, as well as its extensive tourist and entertainment offerings.

On Friday, the Sharjah Sports Club Stadium will host the ‘Night of the Stars’, a friendly football match featuring 23 elite international football stars and legends, most notably former Italian stars Francesco Totti, Fabio Cannavaro and Christian Vieri, as well as Ukrainian Andriy Shevchenko, Dutch Edgar Davids, and Brazilian players Dida and Serginho.

The event will conclude with the launch of the second edition of the Sharjah International Footgolf Tournament at the Sharjah Golf and Shooting Club, on Saturday, January 13. The tournament will bring together 185 top footgolf players who will vie for a $30,000 prize pool.

HE Khaled Jasim Al Midfa, Chairman of SCTDA, underscored the emirate’s keenness to organise major sports events to highlight Sharjah’s dynamism and boost its tourism ecosystem by showcasing its cultural landmarks.

“Under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Crown Prince and Deputy Ruler of Sharjah, ‘Sharjah’s Week of the Stars’ commenced today, featuring an elite group of football legends and offering a lineup of diverse activities held over three days,” Al Midfa said during the press conference.

“We have organised this event, which brings together prominent international football champions and stars, to provide top-tier sports and entertainment for both Sharjah’s residents and visitors. Our goal is to reinforce Sharjah’s standing as a leading host for significant regional events across various disciplines, particularly in the field of sports,” he clarified.

The week-long events encompass the participation of over 20 football legends in various activities. ‘Sharjah’s Week of the Stars’ features diverse activities including the ‘Legends Padel Tour’, a padel tennis tournament, and the friendly match ‘Night of the Stars’ at the Sharjah Sports Club Stadium. The match brings together football legends, with its proceeds going to charity. The week culminates with the second edition of the Sharjah Footgolf Tournament, Al Midfa added.

Steve Crane, Executive Director of the Federation for International FootGolf, said: “We are delighted to come back for the second year in a row to Sharjah, following the remarkable success of last year’s edition. The top stars who vied for the championship in the inaugural event were eager to return and compete for the title in the 2024 edition.”

He added: “The inaugural Footgolf tournament garnered tremendous public interest. In the 2024 edition, we witnessed a surge in the number of participant players, reflecting the growing popularity and reach of this sport.”