Dubai Super Cup: How to watch Arsenal, participating teams & fixtures
By Euan Burns
It is a very weird feeling for many fans to be reading about the friendlies their team has planned for the run-up to Christmas, but that's where we are.
The 2022 Qatar World Cup means that club sides, Arsenal included, need to keep their players who aren't in Qatar as fit and sharp as possible.
Seeing as Arsenal are at the top of the Premier League table after a blistering start to the season, Mikel Arteta will not want anything to happen which could derail their progress toward a highly sought-after Premier League title.
Arsenal are going to be up against some big teams in the Dubai Super Cup, so here is what we know about the tournament so far.
- When will Granit Xhaka and Takehiro Tomiyasu return to Arsenal after World Cup eliminations?
- Arsenal discover severity of Gabriel Jesus knee injury
What is the Dubai Super Cup?
The Dubai Super Cup has been created to add a competitive element to the friendlies that many club teams have been forced to play during the World Cup break. It will take place in - you guessed it - Dubai between December 8 and December 16.
There are four teams involved, with each side playing two matches in total. All four of the matches will be held at the Al Maktoum Stadium, home of Al Nasr.
It is not a normal tournament because after each 90-minute match, a penalty shootout takes place for additional points to be awarded. Points are awarded as follows:
- A win is worth three points
- A draw will see each team earn two points
- A penalty shootout will be held after every match, with the winning team earning an extra point
This is the first time that the tournament has taken place which means no one is defending their crown.
Dubai Super Cup participating teams
Four teams take part in the Dubai Super Cup and they are Arsenal, Liverpool, AC Milan and Lyon. Not everyone plays each other though, so Arsenal will only be coming up against Lyon and AC Milan.
The best stars from each team are unlikely to be seen by the watching fans as they will either still be at the World Cup or they will be recovering having recently been knocked out.
For the game against Arsenal, AC Milan are likely to be without the likes of Olivier Giroud, Rafael Leao and Theo Hernandez who are all into the quarter-finals of the World Cup.
Dubai Super Cup fixtures and schedule
- Thursday, December 8: Arsenal v Lyon (15:30 GMT)
- Sunday, December 11: Liverpool v Lyon (14:00 GMT)
- Tuesday, December 13: Arsenal v AC Milan (14:00 GMT)
- Friday, December 16: Liverpool v AC Milan (15:30 GMT)
Dubai Super Cup tickets
Supporters can buy tickets directly from the Dubai Super Cup website which can be found here. The opening match for Arsenal against Lyon is on sale now, along with the other three matches. The cheapest tickets are in the region of $40.
How can I watch Arsenal in the Dubai Super Cup?
Fans will be able to stream Arsenal's games against Lyon and AC Milan on Arsenal.com and their official app. Passes for both games costs £9.99 or £5.99 per match.