Dubai hosts the “World Sports Summit” on December 28 and 29

Under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense, and Chairman of the Executive Council of the Emirate of Dubai, and under the supervision of His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Dubai Sports Council, Dubai will host the second edition of the “World Sports Summit” on December 28 and 29, 2026, under the slogan “Uniting the World Through Sports.”

The next session of the annual summit, organized by the Dubai Sports Council, will witness the participation of more than 1,500 leading figures, decision-makers and specialists, including 200 international stars, which consolidates its position as the largest global gathering of elite athletes and specialists in all fields of sports work, and the most important platform for unifying efforts and creating the future of global sports.

In implementation of the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Dubai Sports Council has begun defining the topics of the sessions in the second edition of the summit, which will be the largest, most comprehensive and influential, with the participation of the leaders of the global sports system, as Dubai continues its pioneering role in unifying efforts to design the future of global sports, and enhancing the great and growing influence of sports in the world, through concerted efforts and building a sustainable cooperation system, to achieve the desired development of the sports sector in the world in all its aspects, by launching effective sports initiatives, building… International partnerships and unifying international efforts.

The summit will also witness the coronation and honoring of sports stars who won the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum International Sports Award.

The organizing committee of the global event continues to choose strategic axes that keep pace with rapid developments, especially in the fields of advanced technologies, artificial intelligence, and attracting and developing talented people, to ensure the presentation of an exceptional session that shapes the future of global sports work.

The first session of the summit witnessed the hosting of 1,500 sports stars, officials and sports decision-makers, and recorded more than 33.6 million views of the live broadcast, and 850 million digital interactions across social media platforms. The summit has become an exceptional global platform and a qualitative addition that consolidates Dubai’s leadership as a global sports destination, enhancing international dialogue and cooperation to shape the future of the sports sector.

The first edition of the World Sports Summit was opened with an inspiring speech delivered by the President of the International Federation of Association Football, Gianni Infantino, and a number of international sports leaders and stars spoke during its two-day sessions, led by His Highness Sheikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa, President of the Bahrain Supreme Council for Youth and Sports, the Minister of Sports, Ahmed Belhoul, the President of Paris Saint-Germain, Nasser Al-Khelaifi, the mixed martial arts legend, Nour Mammadov, the world boxing legend, Manny Pacquiao, and the legend Former Italian footballer Roberto Baggio, French basketball legend and owner of Lyon Club Tony Parker, international tennis star Novak Djokovic, founder and owner of Dubai Basketball Club, Abdullah Al Nabouda, and six of the star players and coaches who won the World Cup: the Brazilians Ronaldo and Cafu, the Spaniards Carles Puyol and Iniesta, the Frenchman Didier Deschamps, and the Italian Fabio Cannavaro. The sessions were also moderated by another World Cup winner, the Italian Alessandro. Del Piero, former England and Manchester United star Rio Ferdinand, and others.

During the summit, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad bin Mohammed Al Sharqi, Crown Prince of Fujairah, who topped the winners of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum International Sports Award, was also honored, along with many Arab and international sports stars, led by Tunisian tennis star Anas Jabeur, winner of the two badminton gold medals at the Tokyo-Paris Olympics Victor Akselsen, American Olympic champion Ibtihaj Mohammed, world football star Paolo Maldini, and Pakistani javelin thrower Arshad Nadeem. And others.

During the summit, an award launch agreement was signed between FIFA and the Dubai Sports Council, Dubai hosting the honoring ceremony, and a strategic partnership agreement signed by the Dubai Sports Council and the International Volleyball Federation to launch the World Beach Volleyball Championship series, so that Dubai, under this five-year agreement, will be the permanent opening station for the launch of the series.

. The second edition includes dialogue sessions hosting prominent international stars to discuss the future of global sports.