At 2:20 p.m. Beijing time on March 17, a team of more than 100 people will take Hainan Airlines chartered flights from Haikou International Airport to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. This team includes both our men's soccer team and the U23 men's soccer team, which is tasked with participating in the last two rounds of the Qatar World Qualifying Asian Zone 12 and the "Dubai Cup" international soccer invitational tournament.
After an air journey of more than seven hours, the two national teams are expected to arrive in Dubai at 5:40 p.m. local time on the 17th. They will then proceed directly from Dubai International Airport to the Four Points by Sheraton Hotel in Sharjah to settle in.
It is worth mentioning that, compared with last November's western expedition, the UAE's anti-epidemic policy has been relaxed, and entrants only need to show proof of vaccination, no nucleic acid test, and even no need to wear a mask. However, in order to protect the health and safety of the players, the CFA still insisted on the implementation of closed-loop epidemic prevention and management outside the country.
After nearly two weeks of training and three teaching matches, the Chinese men's football team embarked on a journey to West Asia on March 17th. In order to ensure the health and safety of the team during the trip, the CFA once again chartered a plane for the team. The U23 men's soccer team was invited to participate in the "Dubai Cup", and the two teams not only synchronized their preparations in Haikou, but also embarked on the journey to the United Arab Emirates together. It is expected that after the end of the tournament, the two teams will gather again and return home together.
It is reported that the Hainan Airlines flight is expected to take off from Haikou at 2:20 p.m. Beijing time on the 17th, and arrive in Dubai at around 5:40 p.m. local time after a 7-hour and 20-minute flight. Unlike in the past, the UAE's vaccination policy has been relaxed, and members of the Chinese team will only need to show proof of vaccination upon arrival.
Thanks to the many competitions in the UAE over the past year, the Chinese team is very familiar with the local climate, training, competition and living environment. The hotel in Sharjah is only an hour's drive from Dubai, so even with the four-hour time difference between the two countries, it won't be too much of an inconvenience for the team. After arriving at the hotel, the team can enjoy dinner directly, and then rest and adjust, ready for the next training and games.
In order to ensure the health and safety of the two national teams, the CFA has requested that all staff undergo closed-loop epidemic prevention management. Although other areas of the host hotel are still open to the public, the CFA has asked the hotel to reserve separate living areas for the two teams, and to enter and exit the hotel through separate channels. In addition, the hotel service staff will be in the closed loop with the team members.
As with previous stays, the Four Points by Sheraton has once again reduced the number of service staff to accommodate the Chinese team's immunization needs. Some of the room service will be done by the team members themselves to minimize contact with outsiders. At the same time, the hotel will provide the team with the required immunization support.
According to the plan, the Chinese team will have their first training session after arrival in Sharjah on the afternoon of March 18th local time. Naturalized player Jiang Guangtai will be the first to return from Dubai and join the full team for the training. Li Lei, who plays for Grasshopper Switzerland, will travel to the UAE to join the team on the 21st after taking part in the Swiss Super League match against Basel on the 20th local time.
