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Nickname | The Falcons | ||||||
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Governing body | UAE Rugby Federation | ||||||
Region | Europe | ||||||
Home stadium | Dubai Sports City | ||||||
First game | |||||||
Lebanon 48 – 18 United Arab Emirates (Bhamdoun, Lebanon; 22 July 2008) |
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Biggest win | |||||||
Lebanon 10 – 34 United Arab Emirates (Bhamdoun, Lebanon; 29 June 2009) |
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Biggest defeat | |||||||
Lebanon 48 – 18 United Arab Emirates (Bhamdoun, Lebanon; 22 July 2008) |
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World Cup | |||||||
Appearances | 0 |
The United Arab Emirates Rugby League team (nicknamed The Falcons) represented the United Arab Emirates in the sport of rugby league football.
The sport of rugby league enjoyed a surge in popularity surrounding the 2008 Rugby League World Cup. As a result, a number of new nations took up the sport. The UAE was an early participant in this trend, playing their first international match in March 2008.
Lacking an established rugby league tradition in the Emirates, the Falcons were initially made up a mixture of natives and expatriates from England, South Africa and other Commonwealth countries. Most notable amongst these is Wayne McDonald, former captain of the Scottish national team and star in the Super League in Europe.
Sol Mokdad was the Director of Development of the Emirates Rugby League. Taking on this role in November 2007, Sol steadily developed interest and awareness in the sport.
In 2015, it was announced that UAE Rugby League was planning a bid to host the 2021 Rugby League World Cup. The organization also secured a sponsorship with Nissan for the fledgling four-team UAE Rugby League Cup. On April 23, 2015, it was announced that the competition had been ordered to drop all references to "UAE Rugby" at the behest of the UAE Rugby Federation, who, as the recognized body for rugby union, (incorrectly) claimed sovereignty over all variations and designations of "rugby" in the UAE - UAE Rugby League was subsequently renamed "Rugby League Commission".
On May 8, 2015, it was announced that Mokdad has been arrested at the behest of UAE Rugby Federation authorities for “unauthorised representation of the UAE sovereignty”. It was also alleged by the UAE Rugby Federation that Mokdad was an illegal immigrant.