Overview
- The UAE Football Association confirmed Dalic’s hiring in a social-media announcement on Wednesday after he left the Croatia job following the 2026 World Cup.
- Multiple outlets report Dalic has agreed a four-year deal through the 2030 qualifying cycle but the UAEFA has not publicly confirmed the contract length or financial terms.
- A largely Croatian technical group is widely reported to be joining him, and former Liverpool midfielder Igor Biscan has been confirmed as manager of the UAE U23 side.
- The national team must be prepared quickly for the Gulf Cup from September 23 to October 6 and the AFC Asian Cup in January, with sources disagreeing on whether Yemen or Vietnam is the UAE’s opening Asian Cup opponent.
- Dalic returns with strong regional experience after winning trophies with Al Ain and with a global profile built on Croatia’s 2018 final and 2022 third-place World Cup finishes, but he faces the immediate task of forging a clear team identity from a squad heavy with foreign-born players.