Great news for school goers and football fans!

UAE football fans were ecstatic when the UAE football team beat current title holders Australia in a surprise 1-0 victory on Friday January 25, securing themselves a spot in the semi-finals. The host country will now face Qatar for a spot in the finals of the AFC Asian Cup.

But an announcement made by the Ministry of Education may just give you another reason to celebrate.

If you’re a football lover in school, or a supporter of the UAE team who has children, you will be pleased to know that in a decision made by the ministry to support the UAE team, schools across the country will finish two hours early on Tuesday January 29.

An official said the move would not extend to private schools, according to The National.

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This means that fans will be able to make it to the Mohammed Bin Zayed stadium in Abu Dhabi in good time to catch the semi-final match when it begins at 6pm.

And if you don’t have a ticket to catch the live action, you’ll still have plenty of time to stock up on food and drinks and get home in time to  catch the semi-final on beIN sports, or stream it live via beIN connect.

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Images: Getty