Dubai: The Dubai Sports Council announced the organisation of the ‘Dubai Open Volleyball Academies Championship’, the first of its kind in the region, that is scheduled to kick off on April 25 (Saturday), with the participation of 70 teams representing 25 academies and clubs from across the UAE. The championship is being held in cooperation with UAE Volleyball federation and Sports Mania and will continue until June 13, 2026.

The championship includes five age categories for males and females (under 10, 12, 14, 16, and 19 years old), and more than 250 matches are scheduled to be held at the Shabab Al Ahli Club indoor courts and the Al Safa Sports Hall in the Jumeirah area.

The Dubai Sports Council and the organising committee held a technical meeting with coaches and directors of participating academies. During the meeting, the technical and organisational regulations were reviewed, the match schedule was approved, and all participant inquiries were addressed.

Ali Omar Al Baloushi, Director of Sports Development at the Dubai Sports Council, emphasized that the Council prioritises talent discovery and development, stating: “We are working to build an integrated system to attract and nurture promising players across various sports. Launching this tournament reflects our commitment to providing a truly competitive environment that gives young athletes the opportunity to demonstrate their abilities and refine their skills by increasing the number of matches according to international standards.”

Al Baloushi added: “This tournament is part of the Council’s strategy to develop talent within Dubai clubs and enhance cooperation with the private sector to become an active partner in developing the sports sector by organising events that have a direct impact on youth development programmes.”

He also explained that the tournament complements a comprehensive strategic programme and joins the Dubai Open series of tournaments in football, basketball, handball, tennis, gymnastics, badminton and padel.

Tariq Abboud, Managing Director of Sports Mania, hailed the collaboration with the Dubai Sports Council, saying: “We are honoured to organise this tournament, which brings together government and private academies and clubs from across the country to compete in official matches that enhance the development of emerging talent.”

Abboud praised the high turnout and the keenness of coaches and team managers to attend the technical meeting, reflecting their strong enthusiasm for participating.

The participating clubs include Al Wasl, Shabab Al Ahli, Al Nasr, Hatta, and Al Dhaid, along with the academies of Wildcats, UIG Sports, FDR, Centrix, Centrline, One Dela Cruz, Next Gen, Hec Volleyball, Speed Sports, Spikers Abu Dhabi, Al Mawakeb, Abu Dhabi Volleyball Clinic, ATPV Com, Olympic Stars, and Esperia.