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Abu Dhabi: The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has selected 14 countries to take part in the Professional League, with their clubs allowed to play in the Asian Champions League in its new version.
The UAE is included in the selected teams despite the fact that their professional league (E League) will kick off the new 2008-09 season next September.
This was disclosed late on Tuesday when a special panel, formed by the UAE FA to supervise the E League met at the headquarters of the FA here, headed by Hamad Bin Brook.
Ebrahim Al Mahmoud, the spokesman of the committee, said: "The AFC has divided the 14 countries into four standards, the UAE is in the second category."
The countries selected are: UAE, Australia, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Qatar, China, Japan, Korea Republic, Singapore, Syria, India, Vietnam, Uzbekistan, Indonesia and Malaysia.
"We have received the files of six domestic clubs showing their preparations to take part in the E League next season," added Al Mahmoud.
"The clubs are Al Jazira, Al Nasr, Sharjah, Hatta, Al Khaleej, Al Ittihad while the clubs which did not yet send files are: Al Wasl, Al Wahda, Al Shabab, Al Ahli, Al Shaab, Emirates, Al Dhafrah, Dubai, Bani Yas and Ajman.
Professionalism
"The deadline is March 27 to receive the files of the clubs wishing to take part in the E League because the AFC committee for professionalism will visit again in April to take the last inspection and decide which clubs are qualified. Al Ain were the only club which met all the demands of the AFC committee in their first inspection two months ago."
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