UAE Football Association sacks head coach Paulo Bento

Paulo Bento has been dismissed from his role as head coach of the UAE national team. The UAE Football Association (UAEFA) made the announcement on Wednesday, just a day after the UAE's AFC World Cup qualifier victory against North Korea.

Bento's backroom staff have also been dismissed, the UAEFA confirmed in a statement. 

The UAE secured a crucial 2-1 win against North Korea in their AFC World Cup qualifying Group A match on Tuesday, giving them a slim chance of achieving automatic qualification to next summer's World Cup in the USA, Mexico and Canada. 

The victory moves the UAE onto 13 points, and in third place, keeping them in the hunt of a second-placed finish, which would see them qualify automatically, with two games left to play in the group stages.

"The UAE Football Association has decided to dismiss the head coach of the national team, Portuguese Paulo Bento, along with his coaching staff," UAEFA said in a message on social media on Wednesday.

Bento, who guided Portugal to the semi-finals of Euro 2012 and South Korea to the last 16 of the 2022 World Cup, had led the Emirates to 14 wins, six draws and six losses since he took over in July 2023.

اتحاد الكرة يُقيل الجهاز الفني لمنتخبنا الوطني .. pic.twitter.com/bVJ1EzVGPT

— UAEFA (@uaefa_ae) March 26, 2025