Dr Humoud Fulaiteh

KUWAIT: Kuwait Champions Challenge yesterday announced Jamie Carragher, Andrea Pirlo and Jens Lehmann as part of the Football Champions Tour team to play against a Kuwaiti all-star team on Friday, December 18 at Jaber Al-Ahmad International Stadium in Kuwait.

Ronaldinho, Scholes, Pires, Puyol, Zambrotta, Del Piero, Figo, Salgado, Shevchenko, Nesta Deco, James, Gerrard and Aboutrika were already announced as part of the Football Champions Tour team.

The Football Champions Tour team will be managed by Carlo Ancelotti, the only manager to have won the UEFA Champions League three times and reached four finals, regarded as one the best most successful managers of all time.

The Football Champions Tour team will play against a team of Kuwaiti all-star players who will be chosen by the people in Kuwait themselves. Votes for players joining the Kuwaiti all-star team opened on December 1, 2015 and will continue until December 7. The Kuwaiti all-star team will be announced today. The team will be managed by renowned Kuwaiti coach, Mohammed Ibrahim.

The referee of the Kuwait Champions Challenge will be Pierluigi Collina, the Italian football referee widely considered the best referee of his generation, having been named FIFA's "Best Referee of the Year" six consecutive times.

Meanwhile, Deputy Director General for Sports Affairs at Public Sports Authority Dr Humoud Fulaiteh said we are looking forward to a distinguished celebration for Jaber Stadium, that will attract the attention of the world through the presence of elite group of world stars in Kuwait the land of friendship and peace.

Dr Fulaiteh said 40 satellite channels will carry this unique and historical event to be held at Jaber Stadium. He said the stadium is now ready to host the various soccer tournament be it continental, Arab, Gulf or local. He said the stadium is approved by FIFA since 2010.

He said Kuwaiti fans have the right to be proud of this sports monument which is considered a piece of art designed according to the best world specifications. He added that the stadium is considered a sports facility for the state, as its maintenance and technical management is that of the Sports Public Authority, and an annual budget has been allocated for that purpose.

He said the stadium faced some obstacles in past years, but those have been resolved completely, and thank all areas and government institutions and companies that contributed in supporting the situation and organization of the celebration, including the Amiri Diwan, Council of Ministers, Interior Ministry, National Guard, Information, Health and Public Works in addition to the media and local press.

The football challenge will be preceded by an opening ceremony, including a concert bringing Kuwaiti and Arab singers together to perform for over 60 thousand spectators at the Jaber Al-Ahmad International Stadium. The ceremony will also include a fireworks show.