KUWAIT: In the midst of a packed stadium, His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad announced the official opening of the multi-purpose Jaber Al-Ahmad International Stadium yesterday. Also attending the event is His Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, National Assembly Speaker Marzouq Al-Ghanim, alongside with several local officials and notable figures.

The huge event at the 60,000-seater stadium is being marked by the Champions Cup, a match between a star-studded side of ex-internationals, led by renowned Italian coach Fabio Capello, and a Kuwait all-stars side, led by national coach Mohammad Ibrahim. The global side includes greats such as ex-England internationals David Beckham, Paul Scholes, Jamie Carragher and David James, alongside Italy's Alessandro Nesta and Gianluca Zambrotta, Portugal's Luis Figo and Spain's Carlos Puyol and Michel Salgado.

Brazilian legends Ronaldinho and Roberto Carlos also form part of the global all-stars, along with German keeper Jans Lehman, France's Robert Pires, Ukrainian striker Andriy Shevchenko and Jamaican Dwight Yorke. On the local side are Bader Al-Mutawa, Abdulhadi Khamis, Yousif Nasser, Fahad Al-Enezi, Mohammad Jragh, Fahad Al-Ansari, Abdulaziz Al-Mashaan, Talal Nayef, Musaed Neda, Fahad Al-Hajeri, Hussain Hakim, Abdullah Al-Buraiki, Khaled Ibrahim, Amer Al-Maatouq, Khaled Al-Rashidi, Sulaiman Abdulghafoor. Former Egyptian star Mohammad Abu Traika and the United Arab Emirates' Omar Abdulrahman will also form part of the local side. - KUNA