The score is tied and the UAE and Qatar are deadlocked at one goal apiece. With the crowd roaring, the match goes to penalties and a player from the UAE prepares to shoot.
Suddenly, a question pops up on the screen.
"Savings accounts are considered low liquidity investments," it says.
With the option of "true" or "false", the player selects false. A moment later, the ball is struck and spins to the back of the net. The crowd goes wild and the player falls to his knees.
It's just another victory in Financial Football, an educational video game developed by Visa.
As Abu Dhabi prepares to host the FIFA Club World Cup next month, Visa, in collaboration with local schools, is ramping up its financial literacy campaign, which is aimed at teaching young people how to spend, save and use credit cards properly.
The idea is to provide accessible and engaging information to children with the eventual goal of introducing formal financial education in schools.
"We're trying to reach individuals and communities," says Lama Kabbani, the corporate communications manager for Visa.
"A huge part of this is working with third parties to get them actively engaged in our programmes, such as schools, governments and other organisations."
Visa launched its global financial literacy campaign in September last year. Called the Clinton Global Initiative, its objective is to reach 20 million people worldwide with financial literacy education by May 2013. So far, Ms Kabbani, says Visa has reached 10 million people and the Emirates is now at the centre of this initiative.
In March, at the Gulf Education Supplies and Solutions (GESS) conference in Dubai, 130 teachers from across the GCC region were polled by Visa. According to the survey, 95 per cent felt financial literacy should be included as part of their school's curriculum.
Since then, the company has been actively working with schools in an effort to bring more financial education into the classroom.
The Financial Football video game is at the heart of the programme. Featuring detailed graphics and hundreds of questions, players are invited to select their preferred country and skill level, ranging from amateur (intended for 11 to 14 year olds), semi-pro (14 to 18 years) and world class (18 years or older). The game looks much like any conventional football video game, but differs in that to advance the ball and score you must answer a series of financial literacy questions. If you answer a question incorrectly, the opposing team can steal the ball.
Ms Kabbani says the company has also developed a comprehensive curriculum and website that includes tips, information, lesson plans and money-management tests (www.practicalmoneyskills.com) to help schools get the message across to students.
When it comes to using credit cards, for example, the programme encourages the 20-10 rule, whereby people should avoid borrowing more than 20 per cent of their annual net income on all loans, not including the mortgage. Meanwhile, payments on these loans should not exceed 10 per cent of a person's monthly net income.
Paired with Financial Football, the company hopes its curriculum will be adopted by educators and play a leading role in providing an engaging and worthwhile education for children.
"These courses involve the basics of planning your budget, how to spend, how to deal with loans and how to buy your first house," Ms Kabbani adds. "It takes you through the various stages of life."
Dubai College is one leading institution in the Emirates keen to bring financial literacy into the classroom. In March, shortly after the GESS conference, the school invited Visa to introduce Financial Football to its students and present lesson plans to teachers for further learning.
According to Graham Penson, a spokesman for Dubai College, the reaction from the children was encouraging, and the institution is now looking at incorporating these ideas into the curriculum.
"Students enjoyed the experience and the general consensus was that it was a fun and interesting way to learn about financial management," Mr Penson says. "As such, we definitely feel it is worth including in our ongoing programme."
He adds that the idea of financial literacy fits in well with the school's existing "Home Alone" programme, which focuses on preparing children for university life. This specific form of education, he feels, is essential.
"Financial education is important across the board as it teaches students about the financial constraints they will face in the future, particularly in light of the current economic situation," Mr Penson says.
"It can be a dry subject, so we are continuously looking at ways to make this subject matter fun, interesting and appealing to them."
When it comes to budgeting, Visa supplies a full lesson plan to teachers, including what topics to cover, areas for classroom discussion, in-class assignments and tests at the end of each course.
Students are encouraged to create and maintain their budgets throughout the year and share experiences where budgeting failed. Finally, learning is evaluated by true/false questions, multiple choice and essay questions.
But, according to Ms Kabbani, the process hasn't been easy. Financial literacy in schools is a relatively new concept in the region and it takes time to develop these partnerships, she says.
Visa has engaged a handful of other schools and educational institutions in Dubai, including the International Technology Education Centre. Last summer, the company also held a series of summer schools in Lebanon as part of its financial literacy campaign.
Ms Kabbani hopes the upcoming FIFA Club World Cup, to be held in Abu Dhabi from December 8 to December 18, will place a spotlight on Financial Football.
"It's ideal and makes sense to target the schools," she says. "At the end of the day, it's the educational bodies that need to push the programme."
jtodd@thenational.ae
Go to moneyskills.com to play Financial Football
More on animal trafficking
if you go
The flights
Air Astana flies direct from Dubai to Almaty from Dh2,440 per person return, and to Astana (via Almaty) from Dh2,930 return, both including taxes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Ritz-Carlton Almaty cost from Dh1,944 per night including taxes; and in Astana the new Ritz-Carlton Astana (www.marriott) costs from Dh1,325; alternatively, the new St Regis Astana costs from Dh1,458 per night including taxes.
When to visit
March-May and September-November
Visas
Citizens of many countries, including the UAE do not need a visa to enter Kazakhstan for up to 30 days. Contact the nearest Kazakhstan embassy or consulate.
More from Janine di Giovanni
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Batti Gul Meter Chalu
Producers: KRTI Productions, T-Series
Director: Sree Narayan Singh
Cast: Shahid Kapoor, Shraddha Kapoor, Divyenndu Sharma, Yami Gautam
Rating: 2/5
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbocharged and three electric motors
Power: Combined output 920hp
Torque: 730Nm at 4,000-7,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel consumption: 11.2L/100km
On sale: Now, deliveries expected later in 2025
Price: expected to start at Dh1,432,000
The specs: 2018 Opel Mokka X
Price, as tested: Dh84,000
Engine: 1.4L, four-cylinder turbo
Transmission: Six-speed auto
Power: 142hp at 4,900rpm
Torque: 200Nm at 1,850rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L / 100km
Red flags
- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
- Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
- Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
- Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
- Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.
Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
The specs: Audi e-tron
Price, base: From Dh325,000 (estimate)
Engine: Twin electric motors and 95kWh battery pack
Transmission: Single-speed auto
Power: 408hp
Torque: 664Nm
Range: 400 kilometres
MO
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War 2
Director: Ayan Mukerji
Stars: Hrithik Roshan, NTR, Kiara Advani, Ashutosh Rana
Rating: 2/5
NEW%20UTILITY%20POLICY%3A%20WHAT%20DOES%20IT%20REGULATE%3F
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More coverage from the Future Forum
Why are asylum seekers being housed in hotels?
The number of asylum applications in the UK has reached a new record high, driven by those illegally entering the country in small boats crossing the English Channel.
A total of 111,084 people applied for asylum in the UK in the year to June 2025, the highest number for any 12-month period since current records began in 2001.
Asylum seekers and their families can be housed in temporary accommodation while their claim is assessed.
The Home Office provides the accommodation, meaning asylum seekers cannot choose where they live.
When there is not enough housing, the Home Office can move people to hotels or large sites like former military bases.
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
BMW M5 specs
Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
Power: 727hp
Torque: 1,000Nm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km
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The%20team
%3Cp%3E%0DFashion%20director%3A%20Sarah%20Maisey%0D%3Cbr%3EPhotographer%3A%20Greg%20Adamski%0D%3Cbr%3EHair%20and%20make-up%3A%20Ania%20Poniatowska%0D%3Cbr%3EModels%3A%20Nyajouk%20and%20Kristine%20at%20MMG%2C%20and%20Mitchell%0D%3Cbr%3EStylist%E2%80%99s%20assistants%3A%20Nihala%20Naval%20and%20Sneha%20Maria%20Siby%0D%3Cbr%3EVideographer%3A%20Nilanjana%20Gupta%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins
Read part one: how cars came to the UAE
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%3Cp%3EBy%202030%2C%20Abu%20Dhabi%20aims%20to%20achieve%3A%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3E%E2%80%A2%2039.3%20million%20visitors%2C%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20nearly%2064%25%20up%20from%202023%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3E%E2%80%A2%20Dh90%20billion%20contribution%20to%20GDP%2C%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20about%2084%25%20more%20than%20Dh49%20billion%20in%202023%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3E%E2%80%A2%20178%2C000%20new%20jobs%2C%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20bringing%20the%20total%20to%20about%20366%2C000%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3E%E2%80%A2%2052%2C000%20hotel%20rooms%2C%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20up%2053%25%20from%2034%2C000%20in%202023%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3E%E2%80%A2%207.2%20million%20international%20visitors%2C%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20almost%2090%25%20higher%20compared%20to%202023's%203.8%20million%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3E%E2%80%A2%203.9%20international%20overnight%20hotel%20stays%2C%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2022%25%20more%20from%203.2%20nights%20in%202023%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
Milestones on the road to union
1970
October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar.
December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.
1971
March 1: Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.
July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.
July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.
August 6: The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.
August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.
September 3: Qatar becomes independent.
November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.
November 29: At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.
November 30: Despite a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa.
November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties
December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.
December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.
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SPECS
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The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
