Page 53 - Ministry of Sports PR Report - October 2024

10/24/24, 10:09 AM United Arab Emirates Sports Federation For School And University Education Institutions And Abu Dhabi Entertainment Compan…
athletic capabilities. The key goal of university games is to encourage a sports culture within
universities that inspire future generations of athletes and provides them with worthwhile
opportunities to participate in challenging competitions.”

H.E. Sheikh Suhail Bin Butti added: “Additionally, the UAE University Games are committed to

reinforcing the unity of Emirati communities by encouraging common interests and social interactions
for attaining the goal outlined in the National Sports Strategy 2031. One of the goals is to raise
community sports involvement to 75 per cent by 2031. These goals seamlessly complement the vision
of our wise leadership to empower Emirati youth in driving sustainable development across all
sectors, with a special focus on advancing the sports sector.”

He further noted: “The UAE UniversityGames signify a key milestone for the sports sector in the
UAE, raising the country’s reputation on a global level as a pioneer in sports excellence. Moreover,
these initiatives pave the way for identifying and nurturing sports talents with the potential to achieve

major recognition on the global stage, in line with the national goal of having over 30 qualified
athletes represent the UAE at the Olympics by 2031. The games also position UAE universities as
premier sporting hubs for students across the GCC, further reinforcing the country’s leadership and
prominence in the region’s sports landscape.”

Noura Al Hammadi, General Manager of ADEC stated: The UAE University Games ushers in a new
era of sports for our nation. The first of its kind in the region, the championship is benchmarked
against international best practices to ensure that our more than 1,100 student-athletes have the best
possible opportunities to continue developing in their sport. The nation is building a strong legacy in

this area, and the UAE University Games is an important addition to our sports culture that we are
sure will inspire the entire community.

In the debut season, 21 universities from across the UAE will unite to compete in three key sports,
including football, basketball and volleyball. The football category will feature 19 men’s teams and 9
women’s teams, showcasing strong participation, while volleyball will see 15 men’s teams and 11
women’s teams take to the court. Meanwhile, the basketball competitions will bring together 15 men’s
teams and 13 women’s teams. With around 1,125 athletes participating, the event will be supported by
a dedicated team of more than 80 coaches. Future iterations are slated to include an increasing

number of teams and sports.

The six competitions are commencing with the regional university tournaments, where institutions are
split into regional conferences for the initial stages, which is followed by a nationwide knockout
stage that includes 8 teams from each sport contending for the championship title. The competitions
will culminate with the final matches, which determine the champions of the six tournaments, along
with an awards ceremony to celebrate the winners.

The UAE University Games are set to kick off with an opening ceremony at the International Tennis
Centre in Zayed Sports City in November, where the competition draw for the inaugural matches will
be announced. The first half of the season will run from November 2024 through the end of February
2025. Then in the second half of the season, the knockout and final matches are scheduled to be
played in March 2025, and the season will conclude with an awards ceremony celebrating the winning
teams in April 2025.

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