Fast and Sport 4 All players in action during their Ramadan Futsal Championship match on Wednesday.

A glamorous new edition of Sharjah’s Ramadan Futsal Championship (SRFC) organised by Sharjah Sports TV kicked off on Wednesday, with an opening ceremony reminiscent of the world football championships.

The championship is held under the patronage of Sheikh Sultan Bin Mohammed Bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Deputy Ruler of Sharjah. The current edition features 12 senior squads in four groups and six U14 teams in two groups to battle it out for the championship title until May 19, at the Sharjah Sports Club Arena Al Hazana Branch.

The opening ceremony literally began with a bang, with a dazzling laser show and dance performance, which was a throwback to the world’s major sporting championships. The Sharjah Sports Channel also hosted a special performance to celebrate the nomination of Sharjah as ‘the World Book Capital 2019’.

Fast and Sport 4 All played the first match in the U14 category. Fast scored their first goal in the second minute of the first half and the second came just after three minutes. In the second half, Fast continued to control the game, scoring the third goal in the tenth minute. Mayed Al Baloushi finished the job with a fourth goal.

The competition between Sharjah Police and Al Mofaja’a, newcomer to the championship, was fierce. The game saw successive attacks by both teams. In the 12th minute the Brazilian Lima Thales scored the first goal for his team Al Mofaja’a, but Sharjah Police quickly responded when David Eduardo scored a goal in the same minute.

In the second half, successive attacks resulted in a second goal scored by the Brazilian Alex Da Silva when Miguel Kenji passed him the ball in the third minute. Sharjah Police continued to control the match until the last minute. They earned three points and lead the first group temporarily.

The opening ceremony was attended by Sheikh Saqr Bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Chairman of the Sharjah Sports Council; Sheikh Saud Bin Abdulaziz Al Mualla, Chairman of the Sharjah Cultural and Chess Club; Mohamed Hassan Khalaf, Director General of Sharjah Broadcasting Authority (SBA); Tariq Saeed Allay, Director of Sharjah Government Media Bureau; Hassan Yaqoub Al Mansouri, Secretary-General of Sharjah Media Council (SMC); Mohsen Musabeh, former goalkeeper of the national team as well as Sharjah Club and Rashed Al Obaid, Director of Sharjah Sports Channel, along with representatives of government and private entities in Sharjah and local sports personalities.

Sheikh Sultan Bin Ahmed Al Qasimi, Chairman of SMC, said: “Over the years, the championship had gone beyond its amateur status and was now in the class of a professional tournament. It had become a leading Ramadan sport event that is a fixture on the local sporting landscape and attracts promising new talents.

“The championship is part of our effort to provide high-quality media content within an integrated media system. The event has seen great success over four years and has become an important sporting platform that brings together top football players from the UAE and beyond during the holy month. The championship supports our objectives of providing the optimal environment for young talents to shine and realise their potential in the sport. We hope this edition will see great success and reflect the development of the sport sector in Sharjah.”

Sheikh Saqr said: “The opening ceremony of the fourth edition was spectacular and proved the capability of Sharjah TV in organising and supporting leading sport events in the emirate by bringing together elite athletes, whether it is emerging talents who can play an important role in shaping the future of the emirate in sports, or professional players who have huge national and global experience. This will contribute to supporting the sports sector with top players.”

Rashed Al Obaid, Director of Sharjah Sports Channel, said: “Year after year, the championship has increased in popularity, attracting not only football fans but also fans of all types of sports. Through the years, the tournament has grown into a must-watch sporting event during Ramadan, offering an important opportunity to discover and invest in young talented footballers. It helps support Futsal, and the local sport sector in general. The level of technical skills is increasing with every edition, which gives us the responsibility to organise even more successful editions in the future.”