Page 57 - Ministry of Sports PR Report - October 2024

10/23/24, 9:55 AM Latest News
Emirati youth in driving sustainable development across all sectors, with a special focus on advancing the
sports sector.”

He further noted: “The UAE University Games 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.

Abu Dhabi Entertainment Company (ADEC) is a wholly owned subsidiary of Solutions+ in the Mubadala

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