Mashable: Dubai takes football fever to the next level as it announces the first football league for prison inmates.

Prison inmates serving their sentences in the emirate of Dubai are set to enjoy a first-of-its-kind football league.

According to the Khaleej Times, Dubai has launched a football league for prisoners with a total of fourteen teams participating.

The upcoming football league which is set to begin from April 7 to May 31 will see six players on each side. The matches will be held at Al Awir Prison. Meanwhile, the teams participating have started their practice sessions as well as physical exercises inside the detention centres.

The Dubai Sports Council (DSC) is collaborating with the Dubai Police to organize these football matches for the people in penal and correctional institutions.

Speaking with Khaleej Times, the Director of the General Department of Punitive and Correctional Establishments at Dubai Police, Brigadier Marwan Abdul Karim Julfar, highlighted how learning can bring joy to inmates and pave the way for a redemptive future.

“As part of our initiatives for our 'guests’, a term we prefer to use when addressing them,” he said, “we aim to equip these people for life beyond their time in prison.”

He confirmed that a considerable amount of preparation has been dedicated to these individuals, like education, lifestyle adjustments, and participation in sports so that they can depart with skills beneficial for their future endeavours.

“The arbitration process will be managed by the rules of the UAE Football Federation,” the event organiser, Salem Al Karbi said, adding, “This is the first official league being held under the supervision of the government entities.”

The Assistant Secretary-General of the Dubai Sports Council, Nasser Aman Al Rahma, said this initiative came after the success of the Sports Inmates Programme.