Mohammed bin Rashid International Football Championship is presented by National Bonds and Dubai Sports City in association with Dubai Sports Council and aims to encourage serious football.

The championship is an invitation only tournament which guarantees the high standard of participating teams and only clubs which are reigning or former champions of accredited national and international competitions and internationally respected for their achievements are considered. No exhibition matches are played and the tournament is conducted in strict accordance with FIFA regulations. This ensures that the Mohammed bin Rashid International Football Championship is a showcase for the highest quality football.

2008 -The second edition

Inter Milan, champions of Serie A (Italy), Internacional of Brazil, the FIFA World Cup champions and Dutch Cup winners Amsterdamsche Football Club Ajax are confirmed to head the line up of the 2008 Mohammed bin Rashid International Football Championship in what promises to be the most spectacular football tournament ever held in the UAE.


They will compete will in the tournament held in Dubai from January 5 to 7 2008. A total of four matches will be played over two days with a day of rest in between. Matches will be played in one of Dubai’s most prominent stadiums and officiated by international referees and line staff according to Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) rules and regulations. The 2008 edition of the Mohammed bin Rashid International Football Championship sees some of the biggest clubs in the world of football compete for the prestigious Dubai Cup and US $2.5 million prize money. The winners will take home total prize money of US $1 million with the runners up being awarded US $700,000. The third and fourth place teams will receive US$500,000 and US$300,000 respectively.

2007 – The first edition

The inaugural Mohammed bin Rashid International Football Championship presented by National Bonds in association with Dubai Sports Council was held at Al Ahli Club, Dubai on 8th to 10th January 2007. Four of the world’s greatest teams competed for one of the world’s largest soccer prize funds of US $2 million.

The participating teams were: Olympique de Marseille (France), FC Bayern München (Germany), Societa Sportiva Lazio SpA (Italy) and Sport Lisboa e Benfica (Portugal).

The first match played on 8th January 2007 was between Lazio and Marseille followed by Bayern Munich versus Benfica. The third place match and final took place on 10th January 2007, with Olympique Marseille against FC Bayern Munich, followed by the final between Benfica and Lazio.

Benefica emerged as the winners of the inaugural Mohammed Bin Rashid International Football Championship and US $ 1 million prize money with Lazio taking the runner up prize, FC Bayern Munich ranking third after beating Olympique Marseille in the third-place play-off match.

The 2007 tournament was widely covered by international, local and regional media, attracted by the high profile players, managers and personalities in attendance.