The President, His Highness Shaikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, gave directives to allocate airplanes to operate flights to carry football fans to Bahrain to support the UAE national football team in the semi-final game of the 21st Gulf Cup next Tuesday. Etihad Airways, the national airline of the UAE, in conjunction with the UAE Football Federation, has announced that it will offer five free flights for UAE supporters attending the semi finals of the 21st GCC Soccer Cup Championship, to be held in the Kingdom of Bahrain on Tuesday, January 15, 2013. Etihad Airways will offer just over 872 seats from a total of 1,400 seats from four locations to carry supporters from the UAE to Bahrain and back on the day of the match. Flights will depart from Abu Dhabi, Al Ain, Dubai and Sharjah. To register for a free return flight, supporters must present their UAE ID card or valid UAE passport by no later than noon on January 14, to the Al Jazeera Club or the Al Ain Club. Supporters from Dubai and Sharjah should register at the UAE Football Association offices in Dubai. Flight details will be confirmed on registration. On the day of the match, registered passengers must arrive at the designated airports two hours prior to departure to receive their boarding passes. The return flights will leave Bahrain after the match ends allowing for passengers to be transported from the stadium. Transportation from Bahrain International Airport to the stadium and back to airport will be provided.