Real Madrid and Bayern Munich are among 32 teams competing in the ninth edition of the Dubai Intercontinental Cup for Under-13s, which begins on Thursday.
The four-day tournament, held with the support of the Dubai Sports Council, runs from February 12 to 15. It features a mix of European and South American academies alongside leading clubs from the UAE.
Arsenal, Chelsea, AC Milan, Ajax and Flamengo are also in the field. They will face Emirati sides including Al Nasr, Al Wasl, Al Wahda, Sharjah, Ajman and Shabab Al Ahli.
The draw places Ajax in Group A with Al Nasr, CSKA Sofia and Dribbles SC. Bayern Munich head Group D, where they meet Riga FC, Elite SS and Shabab Al Ahli. Real Madrid top Group F alongside Rodina Moscow, Al Wahda and Dubai Football Talents Centre, an under-12 squad formed by the Dubai Sports Council to bring together selected players from local clubs and academies.
AC Milan are in Group G with United FC, Universitatea Craiova and Sharjah. Chelsea headline Group E, which also includes Al Wasl.
Opening matches begin at 9am. Al Nasr face Ajax, Al Wasl meet Chelsea and Ajman play Levante. At 10am, Real Madrid take on Al Wahda, Shabab Al Ahli play Bayern Munich, and Sharjah face AC Milan.
The tournament was launched at Emirates Towers in the presence of Khalfan Belhoul, vice chairman of the Dubai Sports Council, along with former Spain defender Michel Salgado and Real Madrid sporting director Santiago Solari.
Belhoul said the competition fits into Dubai’s wider push to strengthen youth sport and measure local talent against established academies. Exposure to stronger opposition, he said, helps assess progress more clearly.
A workshop on scouting and development pathways followed the launch, reflecting the focus on long-term player development.
Organisers say television audiences have passed three million in previous editions, with average match viewership around 250,000. Digital platforms have recorded more than 41 million visits.
For UAE clubs, the event offers a chance to test themselves against some of the best-known academies in the game, without leaving home.
