His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence of the UAE, and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai, in the presence of His Highness Sheikh Mansoor bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Dubai Sports Council, today visited the Dubai Sports Retreat.

Organised by the Dubai Sports Councilat the Museum of the Future, the retreat brings together influential decision-makers, industry experts, and globally recognised sports personalities to shapea new future for sports in Dubai over the next decade (2025-2033). 

Commending the Dubai Sports Council’s initiative, His Highness said sports represents a powerful force for social development, economic growth, and job creation. The retreat reflectsDubai’s commitment to nurturingsports champions and fostering a culture of sporting excellence that leadsto achievements on both the local and global stage. With the invaluable insights of diverse stakeholders, Dubai is shaping a future where sports inspires, empowers, and unifies, he remarked.

His Highness said the Dubai Sports Retreat exemplifies the leadership's commitment to making sports an essential pillar of society, emphasising the need for fresh ideas, and insights to enhance the role of sportsin national life.

HH Sheikh Hamdan, accompanied by Sheikh Mansoor, toured the Retreat and engaged with participants from diverse nationalities and backgrounds. He interacted with attendees, commending their active involvement in an initiative aimed at further enhancing Dubai’s status as a leading global sports destination.

During the retreat, His Highness also met with Dubai’s sports ambassadors, a distinguished group of Arab and international stars who call the city home. He expressed his appreciation for their participation in the discussions and their contributions to raising the status of sports in Dubai. His Highness emphasised that, while sports is inherently competitive, it also unites athletes through noble values like fair play, sportsmanship, mutual understanding, and collaboration. He noted that Dubai strives to uphold these values in all sporting events, fostering unity among athletes worldwide.

Dubai’s sports ambassadors attending the event included MMA world champion Khabib Nurmagomedov, French and Manchester United football captain Patrice Evra, Lebanese basketball icon Fadi Al Khatib, Indian tennis star Sania Mirza, renowned cricketer Harbhajan Singh, Arsenal, Manchester City and French footballer Bacary Sagna and Iraqi star footballer Nashat Akram.

The Dubai Sports Ambassadors initiative is aimed at strengthening Dubai’s ties with the global sports community, fostering continuous engagement between the Dubai Sports Council and regional and international sports stars living and working in the city. It supports these stars' professional success and organises annual events to help their academies offer growth opportunities for their athletes.

The retreat was also attended by His Excellency Dr. Ahmed Belhoul Al Falasi, Minister of Sports; His Excellency Omar Sultan Al Olama, Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy and Remote Work Applications, and Director General of the Office of His Highness the Crown Prince of Dubai; His Excellency Abdullah bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of Economy,His Excellency Abdullah Al Basti, SecretaryGeneral of The Executive Council of Dubai, and top officials from federal ministries and local government departments along with professionals from the sports sector.Over 100 prominent local and international sports stars from across the world attended the event.

The retreat opened with a speech by His Excellency Khalfan Juma Belhoul, Vice Chairman of the Dubai Sports Council, highlighting the impact of sports on individuals, cities, and nations, from community engagement and professional growth to health, events, and economic contributions. He also shared the results of a survey conducted among athletes and the public.

The retreat saw two engaging dialogue sessions. The first titled ‘The Power of Sports… An Impact Beyond the Field’featured His Excellency Dr. Ahmed Belhoul Al Falasi, Minister of Sports; His Excellency Helal Saeed Almarri, Director General of the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism; Her Excellency Hessa bint Essa Buhumaid, Director General of the Community Development Authority in Dubai, His Excellency Ahmed bin Byat, Vice Chairman of the Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy and Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Commercial Bank of Dubai, and His Excellency Abdullah Saeed Al Naboodah, owner of the Dubai Basketball Team.

The second session, ‘Dubai: Land of Talents… Towards a Promising Future’, featured globally renowned athletes, including Khabib Nurmagomedov, Patrice Evra, Fadi El Khatib, Sania Mirza, and Harbhajan Singh.

Participants were organised into working groups, each consisting of experts focused on six themes: community sports, sports infrastructure, hosting major events, sports clubs, football, and sports talent development. Together, they crafted recommendations aimed at fostering growth within the sports sector, aligned with Dubai's broader development goals.