Doha: His Highness Sheikh Mansoor bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, President of the UAE Olympic Committee, today attended the opening ceremony of the 4th GCC Games being hosted by Qatar from 11 to 22 May 2026. The UAE is represented at the Games by 164 athletes who will compete across 17 individual and team sports. The national contingent features 115 men and 49 women.

His Highness said: “Today, at the opening of the fourth GCC Games in Doha, we reiterate our belief that sport is a bridge that brings the people of the Gulf closer and strengthens unity among Gulf Cooperation Council countries.

“We are proud of the UAE’s participation in this major event, with our athletes typifying the nation’s ambition and reflecting the vision of our leadership in empowering sport and athletes.

“We wish all participating teams and athletes success, and we commend Qatar for its continued excellence in hosting major sporting events that highlight the exceptional sporting appeal of the Gulf region globally.” 

The delegation accompanying His Highness Sheikh Mansoor bin Mohammed included His Excellency Dr. Ahmad Belhoul Al Falasi, Minister of Sports, Vice President of the UAE Olympic Committee and Chairman of the Executive Office; His Excellency Faris Mohammed Al Mutawa, Secretary General of the UAE Olympic Committee; His Excellency Ghanem Mubarak Al Hajeri, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Sports; and His Excellency Rashid Abdulrahman Al Ali, Acting Chargé d’Affaires at the Embassy of the United Arab Emirates in Qatar. His Highness was received upon arrival in the Qatari capital, Doha, by His Excellency Jassim bin Rashid Al Buainain, Secretary-General of the Qatar Olympic Committee. 

Gulf heritage celebrated
The opening ceremony was held at Al Shaqab Indoor Arena in Doha and featured an artistic show with several segments reflecting Qatari and Gulf heritage, alongside an operetta titled ‘One Gulf... One Heart.’

The UAE flag was carried during the opening ceremony by Sheikh Ali Jamal bin Nasser Al Nuaimi, a member of the UAE equestrian team, and Shouq Al Hammadi, a member of the UAE taekwondo team.

The UAE is competing across a wide range of sports, including table tennis, equestrian, swimming, bowling, billiards, boxing, fencing, shooting, 3x3 basketball, taekwondo, athletics, handball, snooker, volleyball, archery, padel tennis, and karate.

Ten venues
Competitions held as part of the GCC Games will unfold across ten venues: the Women’s Sports Hall, Aspire Dome, Qatar Sports Club, Khalifa International Tennis, Squash and Badminton Complex, Qatar Billiards and Snooker Federation Hall, Al Gharafa Sports Club, Lusail Shooting Range, Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club, Qatar Bowling Federation Hall, and Duhail Sports Hall.

The Kingdom of Bahrain hosted the inaugural edition of the GCC Games in 2011, which featured the participation of all six GCC countries and nearly 1,500 athletes competing across 11 sports. The UAE finished fourth after winning 26 medals, comprising five gold, 10 silver and 11 bronze.

Best showing
The second edition of the GCC Games, held in Dammam, Saudi Arabia, in 2015, remains the UAE’s most successful participation since the event’s inception. The UAE finished second after winning 73 medals, including 26 gold, 20 silver and 27 bronze.

The third edition was held in Kuwait in 2022 and featured the participation of six Gulf countries, with more than 1,500 athletes competing across 16 sports. The UAE finished third in the medals table with 50 medals, comprising 18 gold, 16 silver and 16 bronze.

The ongoing edition of the Games will see the UAE volleyball team open its campaign against Qatar on 16 May, before facing Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait in succession, and concluding its participation against the Sultanate of Oman on 22 May. The competition will be held in a single round-robin format.

The handball competition also features a single round-robin format with Saudi Arabia presenting a tough opening fixture for the UAE on 15 May.