Gulf United

Andrés Iniesta's first job as a manager, taken up in June 2026, put him in charge of a club that plays in front of 300 people at the JA Sports and Shooting Club in Jebel Ali.

The club was formed in Dubai in 2019 and built its academy around a partnership with Adidas, the first grassroots setup in the Middle East to strike one. It took three years for the senior side to show what that produced. In 2021–22 Gulf United won the inaugural UAE Third Division, beating Fleetwood United 3–1 in the final, and followed it the next season by winning the UAE Second Division, beating Al Hilal United 5–1. Back-to-back promotions carried the club, known as the Eagles, into the UAE First Division, where it now competes.

Leroy Fer arrived from Al Nasr in 2025 and captains the side, turning out in front of 300 spectators. The academy has kept producing its own: Manyumow Achol is among the graduates to sign professional deals abroad, in Latvia, Belgium and Canada, as well as with clubs at home in the UAE.

Not everything has gone the Eagles' way since the second promotion. Their derby with United FC, also known as Dubai United, has become the fixture that defines the First Division season for both clubs, and United have had the better of it lately, winning four of the last seven meetings. Holding a First Division place and closing that gap on their nearest rival is what the club has in front of it.