The Dubai Sports Council’s meeting reviewed preparations for organizing the second edition of the World Sports Summit
His Highness Sheikh Mansoor bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Dubai Sports Council, chaired on Tuesday a meeting of the Council’s Board of Directors to review key initiatives, strategic projects and major sporting events aimed at further strengthening Dubai’s position as a global hub for sport.
During the meeting, Sheikh Mansoor affirmed that Dubai continues to play a leading role in launching initiatives that contribute to advancing the global sports sector and reinforcing its vital role in supporting communities and urban economies.
He noted that sport plays a fundamental role in empowering different segments of society, attracting and developing talent, promoting health and wellbeing, enhancing quality of life and delivering wider benefits across both sporting and community spheres.
Council reviews World Sports Summit preparations
During the meeting, Sheikh Mansoor commended the efforts of the Ministry of Sports, the UAE National Olympic Committee and the sports federations that oversaw competitions during the last sports season.
He also praised the efforts of clubs across various sports and competitions, stressing that strong competition creates strong teams and enhances the capabilities and competitiveness of athletes in local, continental and international championships.
The Dubai Sports Council’s meeting also reviewed preparations for organizing the second edition of the ‘World Sports Summit’, which has become an exceptional global platform and a qualitative addition that reinforces Dubai’s leadership as a global hub shaping the future of the sports sector. The board also reviewed a detailed report on the inaugural edition of the summit, which achieved significant success in attracting leading sports figures, decision-makers and stakeholders from across the sector.
Sheikh Mansoor said the summit has established its global standing and achieved significant success in unifying efforts to advance sports worldwide. He said it has also strengthened collaboration between sports federations, organizations, event organizers and investors to advance a vital sector that impacts the lives of people around the world.
Sheikh Mansoor reviews Club Accelerators Program’s progress
During the meeting, His Highness reviewed plans to accelerate support for government and private clubs in Dubai and discussed progress on the ‘Club Accelerators Program’, which aims to support four government-owned clubs, namely Al Wasl, Al Nasr, Shabab Al Ahli, and Hatta, as well as 13 private clubs, in achieving sustainable growth by linking funding to performance indicators.
The program seeks to increase the share of commercial and private revenues at clubs to 50 percent of total revenues by 2033.
The Dubai Sports Council also reviewed the report of the Strategy Committee, which included the outcomes of intensive meetings held with clubs and sports event organizers to explain and clarify the operational mechanisms of the Dubai Sports Sector Strategic Plan 2033.
The report showed that 74 percent of the strategic initiatives for 2025 and 2026 have entered active implementation, while 17 key initiatives are ready for launch to support the development of an integrated professional sports system. The report also addressed efforts to facilitate procedures for organizing and hosting major international sporting events and championships in Dubai, in support of the emirate’s economic and tourism sectors.
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Dubai Sports Council reviews key sporting events in H2 2026
During the meeting, the Dubai Sports Council also reviewed the key sporting events scheduled to take place during the second half of 2026, including the World Sports Summit, the FIFA Awards, the Polo World Cup, the Women’s Triathlon World Cup, the Volleyball World Tour, the Badminton World Cup, the DP World Tour Championship, the FIBA 3×3 World Tour, the Emirates Dubai Sail Grand Prix presented by DP World, the Dubai International Baja, the Emirates Airline Dubai Rugby Sevens, Dubai Premier Padel P1 and the T100 Triathlon.
The list of major events also includes the Dubai Fitness Challenge, Dubai HYROX, Dubai Pro Bodybuilding, Dubai District Games, Dubai Muscle Show, Ultra Trail Dubai in Hatta, FIBA Asia Cup 2029 Pre-Qualifiers, Dubai Marathon and Dubai Sports World.
The meeting also reviewed key initiatives under the Council’s strategic plan across the areas of community, talent, clubs, events, infrastructure, information and investment.
The Dubai Sports Council concluded its meeting with the approval of the formation of the board’s committees for its new term to enhance institutional efficiency. The committees include the Global Events Hosting and Organizing Committee, the Football Committee, the Investment and Projects Committee, and the Sports Development Committee.