The UAE Anti-Doping Rules are implemented in accordance with the World Anti-Doping Code (the “WADA Code”) and the applicable International Standards. Article 20 of the Federal Law No 4 of 2023 concerning Sports (the “UAE Sports Law”) institutes a national anti-doping agency “responsible for setting policies and procedures necessary to monitor and prevent doping in sports competitions, in coordination with the Authority [General Authority of Sports] and the government entities and sports organizations”.

Article 33 of the UAE Sports Law provides that “clubs and federations shall maintain the safety and health of athletes and protect them against the risks of violence and abuse, insuring them, keeping them away from doping, as determined by the Executive Regulations of this law”. The National Anti-Doping Agency (UAE NADA), a committee established by the UAE Ministry of Sports, ensures compliance with the international anti-doping rules and standards and operates in co-ordination with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).

UAE NADA collects and analyses samples at certified laboratories and has the role of raising awareness in that field. It collaborates with Ministry of Sports, Ministry of Health and Prevention, the UAE National Olympic Committee, and various national sports federations. Doping can fall under criminal law if substances are considered as narcotics or psychotropic under Federal Decree Law No 30 of 2021, or pharmaceutics or anabolic steroids banned in the UAE.

In other cases, doping can be treated as a disciplinary offence leading to disqualifications, suspension, bans or loss of prize. For example, Julia Alves, a Brazilian jiu-jitsu athlete, was sanctioned to a three-year ban by the UAE Jiu-Jitsu Federation for using performance-enhancing drugs (Oxandrolone). The tests were conducted by NADA. A list of the decisions and sanctions of the UAE Anti-Doping Disciplinary Panel (since 2008) is available and published on the UAE NADA website.

Article 54 of the UAE Sports Law punishes the briber or the mediator of any other party for match-fixing (or a promise thereof) by imprisonment and fine of AED100,000 to AED1 million. Disturbing public order and event misconduct (such as violence, racism and insults) are punishable by a fine and/or imprisonment, in accordance with Article 17 and Chapter Five of the Federal Law No 8 of 2014 concerning Sports Facilities and Events Security.

Finally, the UAE general criminal laws apply regardless of the sporting context and include gambling, fraud, corruption and money laundering. For instance, in 2024, the International Cricket Council (ICC), acting on behalf of the Emirates Cricket Board (ECB), charged USA cricketer Bodugum Akhilesh Reddy with three violations of the ICC Anti-Corruption Code. Similarly, Sunny Dhillon, a former assistant coach with the Pune Devils franchise in the Abu Dhabi T10 league, was banned from all forms of cricket for six years by the ICC. It was found that Dhillon breached the Emirates Cricket Board (ECB) Anti-Corruption Code for alleged attempts to influence the outcome of the matches during the tournament.

In May 2025, the UAE Football Association demanded that UAE Pro League clubs Shabab Al Ahli and Al Wasl pay fines over fights and swearing. Shabab Al Ahli was fined USD19,000, while Al Wasl was fined more than USD21,000.

Historically, betting is illegal. However, since the Federal Law by Decree No 30 of 2022, on Regulating Commercial Gaming, the UAE has created a regulated commercial gaming framework, by establishing the General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority (GCGRA) as the federal executive agency responsible for regulating and overseeing commercial gaming in the United Arab Emirates.

GCGRA grants licences and supervises lotteries, internet gaming and sports wagering. Any betting business conducted outside the scope of this law is treated as a criminal offence. For instance, the international betting network Mhadev betting app (on several sports) has been involved in legal proceedings in different jurisdictions, including the UAE.

Disciplinary proceedings may be conducted by any UAE governing bodies for doping, integrity and betting offences, all being regulated by the UAE Sports Law and the rules of UAE NADA and the WADA Code.

Detection and reporting of potential violations can accrue from positive doping tests or irregularities in biological passport, for instance, and conducted in or out of competition. Violations can also be reported by suspicious betting patterns or by whistle-blowers. The governing bodies conduct a preliminary review and can order the provisional suspension (if applicable) of the interested athletes. Thereafter, investigation and disciplinary hearings are carried out. Disciplinary decisions can be appealed before either the national sports arbitration authorities or the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

If the nature of the violation is criminal, criminal proceedings can be conducted in parallel. Final decisions are usually published.

Merchandising and licensing rights are primarily dealt with by intellectual property law, in particular, trade marks and copyright, under, respectively, Federal Decree-Law No 36 of 2021 on Trademarks and Federal Decree-Law No 38 of 2021 on Copyright and Neighboring Rights. These rules protect club names, logos, team colours and branding, and athlete images. Hospitality and VIP (ie, VIP hospitality packages, corporate boxes and suites, etc) commercial rights are governed by commercial contracts between event organisers and hospitality providers, and by other licensing agreements with venues or organisers.

Ticketing rights are conducted through official ticketing platforms or by authorised ticketing partners. The UAE does not have a specific secondary market for ticket resale. By extension of the provisions of Federal Law No 8 of 2014 on Sports Facilities and Events Security, penalties, fines and other sanctions can be imposed in the event of illegal ticket sales. Finally, athletes’ image rights for commercial endorsements and advertising campaigns, naming rights, data and digital rights are generally governed by commercial agreements.

UAE authorities encourage and protect promotion and sponsorship in sport. There are numerous platforms for brand promotion, such as television, billboards and telecommunication providers. Contracts can provide for exclusivity, sponsorship fees, marketing rights, IP use and data protection, which can be entered into within the moral and legal boundaries mentioned in 2.1 Sports-Related Rights.

Broadcasters in the UAE monetise sports broadcasting rights through a combination of advertising (mainly during live events), subscription services (such as pay-TV, online streaming services and mobile applications) and commercial partnerships. Broadcasting rights are frequently sold on an exclusive basis and on a defined territory. Multi-season packages are also available.

For instance, the English Premier League broadcasting rights are assigned to beIN Sports, which holds exclusive rights across the region. The UAE Pro League broadcasting rights are assigned to regional/local networks. Broadcasters usually pay accreditation and venue access licences. IP rights in broadcasts concern both broadcasters (ownership of the copyright in the broadcast signal and production) and sports organisers (usually commercial rights).

On 7 October 2025, the National News reported that “Abu Dhabi has also focused on infrastructure, innovation and creative production. The Abu Dhabi Investment Office has nurtured platforms such as Starzplay through incentives and partnerships that encourage content localisation and original programming. Abu Dhabi Media, the emirate’s public broadcaster, holds exclusive regional rights to Italy’s Serie A and other top competitions, while the Yas Creative Hub has become a regional centre for live production and digital storytelling.”

Article 10 (Sports Media) of the UAE Sports Law is also of note: “The authority, in coordination with the concerned media entities in the country, shall be responsible for registering the Sports Media Union, which shall be concerned with sponsoring sports media cadres, refining their capabilities and training them according to the best professional standards in alignment with a media code of honour, as determined by the statute of the Authority.”

In the UAE, there is no single property right as such for a sports event. As mentioned at 2.1 Sports-Related Rights, proprietary rights in a sports event include IP, contracts and event permissions (including limited accreditations, ticketing and venue access). In addition to the UAE Sports Law and the Federal Law No 8 of 2014 on Sports Facilities and Events Security, sport events are also governed by Federal Decree-Law No 5 of 2023 on Consumer Protection, which applies to ticket sales, pricing transparency, misleading advertising and refund policies.

Sports events are organised by national sports federations, professional leagues, clubs, event organisers, government authorities and sports councils. They can also be organised by private persons with the prior approval of the relevant sport regulatory body and government authorities.

Participation in sport events is governed by the competition rules of the relevant federation (often complying with the rules of international federations), anti-doping (WADA) rules, and disciplinary and integrity rules. In many cases, disputes are ultimately referred to sports arbitration bodies – in particular, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

Under UAE law, sports event organisers generally owe a duty of care to spectators, participants and other persons attending the event. The UAE is a civil law jurisdiction. The principle of liability (contractual and tort) is governed by the law on civil transactions (which will be replaced by a new Federal Decree-Law due to be promulgated in 2026).

Sports events must also comply with safety legislation (see Federal Law No 8 of 2014 on Sports Facilities and Events Security mentioned above). Certain mechanisms for limitations of liability are possible (for instance, tickets may mention limitation of liabilities in the event of certain losses).

In general, events are insured by organisers covering potential injuries to spectators and participants. Safety measures at sporting events also require co-ordination between the organisers and the security authorities, a strong video surveillance system, crowd management procedures and accreditation for spectators.

Liability cannot be excluded in the event of gross negligence, intentional misconduct, etc.

Sporting bodies are either public or commercial. They include the Ministry of Sports, the National Olympic Committee (Article 17 of the UAE Sports Law) and National Paralympic Committee (Article 18 of the UAE Sports Law), the UAE Special Olympics and the UAE Committee for People with Hearing Disabilities (Article 19 of the UAE Sports Law). The following entities operate within the jurisdiction.

• Sports federations (Article 21 of the UAE Sports Law) – comprise a board of directors and shall enter into a Sports Performance Agreement with the Ministry of Sports, defining the role and goals of the federation, and to which the NOC and the NPC shall be parties. Article 26 of the UAE Sports Law provides that “The Sports Federation may enter into partnerships with national or foreign sports or non-sports institutions inside or outside the State”.
• Sports associations (Article 28 of the UAE Sports Law) – established by sports federations and enjoying a legal personality and independence. Their role is to assist sports federations in organising and managing their sport.
• Sporting leagues – not established as independent commercial companies, but as entities affiliated with or established by national sports federations. For instance, the UAE Pro League operates as an independent professional league organisation responsible for managing the country’s football competitions, and works closely with the UAE Football Association. A hybrid structure allows a sound separation between regulatory and commercial development roles.
• Sports clubs – have a legal personality and independence. Their role is to enable the practice of one or more sports. Sports clubs can, in particular, sponsor and prepare talented athletes, spread sports culture and ethics and provide the right to practise physical and sports activities for all members without discrimination (Article 30 of the UAE Sports Law). Sports clubs have a board of directors and are members of the relevant sports federation. Professional sports clubs (in particular, in the football sector) can operate through commercial corporate entities, allowing sponsorships, broadcasting rights, merchandising and ticket sales, and facilitating external investment, structured financial management and transparent accounting.
• Other sports institutions – registered and approved sports entities with the role of implementing the goals and objectives mentioned in their by-laws, whilst refraining from any religious or political activity. Sports institutions can be hybrid, involving both a public sport entity and a private commercial company.

Corporate governance in the UAE sports sector is primarily governed by the UAE Sports Law, which introduced the above-mentioned modern regulatory framework for sports governance and administration. Such rules apply to national sports federations, professional and amateur sports clubs, leagues and competitions, sports entities and organisations, including their board members, senior executives and administrators.

The consequences of non-compliance with governance rules may result in administrative or disciplinary sanctions (eg, suspension, financial penalties, restriction on competitions, or withdrawal of accreditations and licences). In certain cases, as previously mentioned, sanctions can be of a criminal or civil nature.

The UAE does not have a national fit and proper person test similar to those used in European sports leagues. However, the rules applicable in the UAE require owners and directors to demonstrate financial integrity, absence of criminal record and ethical background. Officers and directors of sports organisations are subject to corporate governance duties similar to those applicable to company directors under the UAE law. These include, namely and in particular, the following duties:

• care and diligence;
• to act in the entity’s best interest; and
• to avoid (and disclose) conflict of interest.

General corporate and insolvency laws applicable in the UAE provide for the possibility of imposing financial sanctions (fines) on insolvent entities. As far as sports are concerned, in the event a club fails to comply with its financial obligations or licensing requirements, the relevant league will apply sanctions including, in particular:

• transfer restrictions or exclusion from competitions;
• relegations of clubs; or
• points deductions.

Sport in the UAE receives substantial funding from the government, at the federal level under the supervision of the Ministry of Sports as well as at the Emirate level, mainly through sports councils (where applicable). Furthermore, sports organisations generate revenue through the commercial sources mentioned above (sponsorship, broadcasting rights, ticketing and hospitality, etc).

Private sports clubs benefit from public and private investments. In general, sports funding in the UAE is distributed in a cascade fashion (ie, national, clubs, community sports initiatives, youth programmes, school sports partnerships).

Finally, the UAE hosts and funds major international sporting events, often organised by ad hoc organising committees, under the supervision of the relevant government authority and the international sport federation. 

Trade marks in UAE are registered under Federal Decree-Law No 36 of 2021 on Trademarks. Applications are filed with the UAE Ministry of Economy, which administers the national trade mark register. Registration is valid for ten years, renewable indefinitely for further ten-year periods. Trade marks registration applications can be limited to the UAE &/or applied for protection in one or more Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) member states.

Under the UAE Trademark Law, several categories of marks cannot be registered, which are mostly common. The advantages of registration are also common (eg, exclusive rights, enforcement tools and commercial licensing opportunities).

Unlike some jurisdictions, the use of a trade mark is not required for registration in the UAE. However, if a registered mark is not used for five consecutive years, it may be subject to cancellation for non-use by interested parties. Examples of trade marks include Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, UAE Pro League or Al Ain FC.

The UAE is a civil law jurisdiction and copyright arises primarily from statutory provisions. Copyright is recognised and protected under the Federal Decree-Law No 38 of 2021 on Copyright and Neighboring Rights. The WIPO database confirms that the UAE is a member of treaties such as the Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works, which ensures reciprocal protection of copyright between member states, and the WIPO Copyright Treaty.

Copyright protection arises automatically upon creation of an eligible work, provided that two main requirements are satisfied: originality and fixation (where the work is expressed in a tangible form).

A sporting event is not protected as a copyright work, but some of its elements may be protected, such as broadcast footage, sport photography, digital and video content. Copyright protection in the UAE does not require registration, even if a voluntary registration is available through the Ministry of Economy. The advantages of copyright in sports are common to all other categories. Article 20 provides that “The Author’s economic rights set forth in this Decree-Law shall be protected through his lifetime and (50) fifty years later, commencing from the first day of the calendar year following the death year.”

The Federal Decree-Law No 38 of 2021 on Copyright and Neighboring Rights contains several exceptions and limitations which may act as defences to infringement claims, such as personal use, educational use, news reporting and temporary technical copying.

The UAE does not have a specifically dedicated database or registry for copyright. A sports-related database could contain, for example, match statistics, athletes’ performance data, competition results and creative arrangements (statistics, archives and digital performance analytics). For instance, photographs taken at the Dubai World Cup event were protected by copyright owned by the photographer or the media organisation.

The UAE does recognise protection for image rights (NIL rights), but not as a standalone statutory “right of publicity”. Image rights are protected in the UAE by several laws including:

• Federal Decree-Law No 45 of 2021 on the Protection of Personal Data;
• Federal Decree-Law No 38 of 2021 on Copyright and Neighboring Rights;
• Federal Decree-Law No 31 of 2021 on the Crimes and Penalties Law; and
• the Civil Transactions law.

Under the Civil Transactions Law, a person’s image is considered part of their personal rights. Photographs or video recordings that identify a person are considered personal data.

The UAE Penal Code also provides protection against misuse of personal images.

Although not formally codified as “NIL rights”, athletes in the UAE commonly exploit image rights through contractual agreements, including sponsorship contracts, endorsement agreements and merchandising deals.

The UAE has adopted the civil law system and does not have a passing-off doctrine, even if the combination of the statutes mentioned above provide a similar mechanism addressing unfair competition and misleading commercial practices. For example, a sports brand falsely suggesting endorsement by a famous athlete could face legal action for misleading use of commercial identifiers. The infringement of image rights can give rise to a civil liability (tort), violation of personal rights and reputation (in particular, to rights to privacy) and, where applicable, to contractual liability.

The legal framework for IP licensing in the UAE is regulated by the laws set out above, pertaining to Trademarks, Copyright and Neighboring Rights, and on Civil Transactions. Licensing agreements grants the licensee permission to use certain IP rights in exchange for royalties and other commercial consideration.

Leagues, competition and events IP rights are licensed to commercial partners, generally on an exclusive and territorial basis.

Clubs enter into merchandising IP licensing agreements with manufacturers on trade marks and logos. They enter into licensing agreements for digital content (ie, match highlights, club media content, historical footage) and with sponsors, for marketing purposes.

Licensing athlete image rights is authorised under the UAE laws, often related to NIL through endorsement or sponsorship agreements (eg, brand ambassador role, or licensed merchandise using the athlete’s name or image).

The UAE does not have an extensive college/university sports system. However, universities and amateur sports organisations may still license IP rights. Amateur athletes in the UAE may enter into limited endorsement or sponsorship agreements, always subject to federal regulations and amateur eligibility rules.

Licensing agreements typically cover exclusivity (or absence thereof), territory, duration, royalty/fee structure and quality control provisions to protect the IP owner’s reputation.

This has been the regular practice of the UAE Pro League with BeIN Sports, and the Formula One event (Abu Dhabi Grand Prix with Etihad Airways and Rolex). Clubs, such as Al Ain FC and Al Jazira Club, regularly enter into IP licensing agreements. Professional athletes are involved: for instance, Lewis Hamilton (Abu Dhabi Grand Prix).

There are restrictions on assigning IP rights to third parties, depending on such IP rights’ nature, whether contractual or subject to the provisions of Federal Decree-Law No 36 of 2021 on Trademarks. In general, registered trade marks may be assigned, licensed or transferred to another party, with or without the transfer of the underlying business. Consequently, restrictions apply in the event the assignment is not recorded with the UAE Ministry of Economy or if the assignment creates confusion or deception regarding the origin or nature of the rights. The assignment must be documented in a written instrument signed by all parties.

Copyright can be assigned in the same conditions, subject to the provisions of Federal Decree-Law No 38 of 2021 on Copyright and Neighboring Rights. Economic rights can be assigned by their authors and may include the rights of reproduction, distribution, public performance and commercial exploitation. The rights must be specified, as well as the duration of the assignment and the territorial scope.

Finally, as in most civil law jurisdictions, moral rights cannot be transferred in the UAE: the author retains the right to be credited as author, and the author can always object to the distortion or modification of the work.

Restrictions apply to image rights in so far as they relate to personal rights (image rights cannot be perpetually transferred and are usually licensed rather than assigned). Leagues and federations have the power to limit the way in which clubs or athletes assign commercial rights (in particular, in relation to broadcasting, sponsorship and league branding).

Competition and consumer regulations applicable in the UAE apply and scrutinise IP rights assignments, with the concern being not to mislead consumers or distort market competition.

Sports data is regulated in the UAE by Federal Decree-Law No 45 of 2021 on the Protection of Personal Data and by Federal Decree-Law No 38 of 2021 on Copyright and Neighboring Rights (where databases or audiovisual works are concerned). Sports organisations in the UAE collect and analyse – generally through wearable technology and video analysis systems – several categories of data concerning athletes (injuries, performance statistics, history, etc). Sports organisations collect fan and spectators’ engagement data through digital platforms (eg, demography, ticket purchasing behaviour and social media metrics).

Modern sporting equipment generates data collected by sports organisations, including, in particular, performance data from racing cars, training data and environmental data for venues’ management. Teams collect data to analyse and enhance athletes’ performance. Event managers collect data to improve stadium security, crowd management and spectator experience. Fan engagement’s data is collected by Sports bodies to optimise and personalise ticketing and membership programmes.

The collected data may be licensed to broadcasters, media companies and sports analytics providers. Fan data allows sponsors to run targeted marketing campaigns – such is the case in major UAE sporting events. Even though sports betting is tightly regulated in the UAE, international competitions hosted in the country generate sports data used globally by betting markets and monitoring systems. Data and analytics are often used to create television graphics and match analysis programmes, through broadcasting partnerships and media rights agreements.

Federal Decree-Law No 45 of 2021 on the Protection of Personal Data applies to persons located in the UAE and is supervised by the UAE Data Office. Personal data is protected in so far as it relates to identifiable individuals such as athletes, fans, spectators, staff and volunteers, etc. Additional protection is granted for sensitive personal data (health, biometrics), which requires explicit consent (or a lawful basis). The aforementioned law restricts personal data transfers outside the UAE, unless the destination country provides an adequate level of protection or gives appropriate safeguards.

Some sports organisations in the UAE operate from financial free zones that have their own data protection regulations, such as the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) under the DIFC Data Protection Law No 5 of 2020 amended by Law No 1 of 2025, and the Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) with the ADGM Data Protection Regulations of 2021. These regimes are mainly modelled on the GDPR and impose stricter compliance obligations for organisations operating within those jurisdictions.

The GDPR may apply to sports organisations in the UAE where they process personal data of (or offer goods or services to) individuals in the EU, or monitor the behaviour of EU-based individuals. The GDPR are not UAE regulations but influence sports organisations operating internationally. In that respect, for instance, international federations and sports teams participating in competitions involving EU athletes must ensure that athlete data processing complies with GDPR requirements. The same applies to broadcasting and fan engagement events involving EU spectators. Such is the case, for instance, for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix and the UAE Pro League.

In the UAE, national courts play a residual and supervisory role in sports disputes. Most disputes arising in sport are first handled through internal disciplinary or arbitration mechanisms within sports federations or leagues. UAE courts retain jurisdiction in criminal matters (match-fixing, fraud, corruption), civil disputes (employment, sponsorships) and on ruling on the annulment procedures of arbitral awards. Most sports federations in the UAE have their own internal disciplinary and dispute resolution bodies, including appeals committees, and typically cover disciplinary, eligibility, anti-doping and competition matters.

Parties are required to exhaust internal remedies before resorting to external judicial proceedings, such as sports arbitration bodies (eg, CAS) or UAE courts (in particular, where an award must be recognised and enforced or if a party challenges an award under UAE arbitration law).

Arbitration in the UAE is governed by Federal Law No 6 of 2018 on Arbitration, aligning with the UNCITRAL Model Law on International Commercial Arbitration, and concerns disputes on player contracts, sponsorship agreements, commercial rights and disciplinary appeals.

The UAE Sports Arbitration Centre (UAESAC), established by virtue of Federal Law No 16 of 2016, has its own arbitration rules which deal with national sports arbitration proceedings. Where certain issues are not covered by the UAESAC’s arbitration rules, they are governed by Federal Law No 6 of 2018. Accordingly, the UAESAC provides for a fair, transparent and enforceable mechanism for sports disputes in the UAE, while promoting participation, equality and good governance.

Many UAE sports federations recognise the jurisdiction of the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) – in particular, concerning doping appeals, eligibility and disciplinary sanctions.

Mediation is also used as an ADR mechanism in sports disputes. Where ADR mechanisms are used, UAE courts may still play a role in enforcing arbitral awards, recognising arbitration agreements and reviewing limited challenges to arbitration awards.

Pursuant to the provisions of the UAE Sports Law, federations and leagues are the disciplinary and regulatory authorities that can impose sanctions (disciplinary and financial).

Parties that want to challenge a decision can appeal it before a higher disciplinary or appeal committee within the federation. Where disputes remain unresolved, parties may appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), the jurisdiction of which is generally recognised by the relevant federation.

That being said, national courts, in particular, in the UAE retain jurisdiction in several matters involving the review and enforcement of arbitral awards. National courts retain competence if the parties’ dispute is referred to them, specifically, in matters involving employment agreements or penal matters.

Federal Decree-Law No 33 of 2021 Regulating Labor Relations as further amended by Federal Decree-Law No 9 of 2024 (the “UAE Labour Law”) and the UAE Sports Law regulate the relationship between sports entities and athletes in the UAE. Athletes in the UAE are typically employed by their clubs under standard employment contracts that provide for sport-specific rules issued by the club or federation. Unlike certain other jurisdictions, central national player contracts are not a dominant feature in UAE sports, and athletes who represent national teams may be subject to a separate participation agreement with the national federation rather than employed under a centralised employment contract.

Salary caps generally do not exist. That said, certain sport entities have introduced financial rules aimed at maintaining a competitive balance, such as budget limits for club spending or restrictions on foreign player salaries.

Employment contracts may contain provisions such as exclusivity, restriction on transfers during the contract terms and non-competition clauses, all of which must be compliant with the rules of the relevant sports international and national federation (such as, for instance, FIFA rules).

Financial regulations or transfer rules implemented by sports organisations may raise competition law considerations if they unfairly restrict market competition or player mobility. This is an issue typically raised in Europe, for instance. However, this is not the case in the UAE, even though there is no legal impediment to raising such claims under the provisions of Federal Decree-Law No 36 of 2023 Regarding Regulating Competition.

The rules governing employer/employee rights in the UAE are governed by the UAE Employment Law and by the UAE Sports Law. Professional athletes are typically engaged under fixed-term employment contracts with clubs, which regulate salary, bonuses, training obligations and disciplinary matters.

Sports entities and governing bodies may impose additional regulatory requirements, in particular, regarding contract termination, unpaid wages or transfer restrictions. These disputes are eventually referred to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, either at an international level or as a result of an appeal procedure.

UAE law does not prevent sports governing bodies from imposing foreign player limits, and such quotas are common in professional leagues as part of competition regulations. At the same time, foreign athletes must comply with the UAE’s immigration and employment framework, typically requiring club-sponsored work permits or residence visas before participating in professional sporting activities.

Women’s sport in the UAE has expanded significantly over the past decade, supported by government policy promoting female participation and the development of dedicated competitions and institutions. The sector is overseen in part by bodies such as the Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Sports Academy, which promotes elite and grassroots participation. Women’s competitions have grown in sports such as football, cricket, cycling and martial arts, including the UAE Women’s Football League, organised under the United Arab Emirates Football Association.

Participation has increased steadily through school and university programmes and initiatives led by emirate-level sports councils. Recent trends in women’s sport in the UAE reflect increasing investment, new competitions, growing sponsorship activity and gradual improvements in visibility and participation. One notable development is the creation of international competitions such as the UAE Tour Women, launched in 2023 and now the only Women’s WorldTour cycling race in the Middle East, attracting leading professional teams and global sponsors. The race has expanded quickly, with 15 Women’s World Tour teams participating in the 2025 edition and a total prize fund of about USD100,000, illustrating growing commercial investment in elite women’s sport in the country.

Other professional competitions include the Al Habtoor Tennis Challenge, which offers USD100,000 in prize money and forms part of the international women’s tennis circuit hosted in the UAE. Major mixed tournaments such as the Dubai Tennis Championships also provide high-profile women’s events on the WTA Tour calendar and attract global sponsorship through partners such as Dubai Duty Free. At the grassroots and league level, new clubs such as Banaat FC have emerged with commercial partnerships – including sponsorship with Nike – demonstrating the increasing professionalisation and branding of women’s sport.

Audience engagement has also grown. Surveys indicate around 35% of UAE respondents follow women’s football, and nearly half say they would watch more women’s sport if it were more widely broadcast, suggesting rising viewership potential. While attendances remain modest (for example, the 2025 IIHF Women’s Asia Cup hosted in Al-Ain recorded 909 spectators), the growth of new competitions, international participation and corporate sponsorship reflect a clear trend towards greater commercialisation and visibility of women’s sport in the UAE.

The Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Sports Academy is a leading institution, established to develop women’s sport across the UAE by organising competitions, training programmes and talent-development initiatives. The academy hosts international women’s tournaments and supports national teams and grassroots participation, including programmes encouraging school and university athletes to pursue elite sport. Another important body is the Dubai Women’s Sports Committee, which has operated under the Dubai Sports Council since 20 December 2006, engaging women in sports and fitness in Dubai. The Sharjah Women’s Sports Organisation was officially established in 2016. In addition, initiatives supported by the Dubai Sports Council and Abu Dhabi Sports Council regularly include programmes designed to increase female participation in community and professional sport.

Together, these organisations and initiatives contribute to the UAE’s broader policy of expanding opportunities for women in sport, supporting athlete development, increasing participation at grassroots level and promoting the country as a regional hub for international women’s sporting events.

The esports and virtual sport landscape in the UAE has expanded rapidly in recent years, supported by government initiatives, private investment and the country’s strategy to position itself as a regional digital-entertainment hub. Key stakeholders include organisations such as the Dubai Esports and Games Festival, which hosts large esports tournaments, gaming expos and community competitions aimed at developing the sector. Abu Dhabi Gaming promotes esports development through investment incentives, training programmes and partnerships with global gaming companies.

Competitive events are increasingly hosted in the UAE, including international tournaments organised by entities such as ESL Gaming, which has staged major competitions in the region. Growth has been driven by high internet penetration, a young population and strong government support for the digital economy. As a result, esports has become a fast-growing segment of the UAE sports and entertainment sector, with increasing prize pools, sponsorship deals and media partnerships, as well as the emergence of professional teams, gaming academies and university esports programmes.

The UAE gaming and esports sector has become one of the fastest-growing digital entertainment markets in the Middle East. According to Juego Studios website, estimates suggest the UAE gaming market exceeded USD1.16 billion in 2024, up from around USD484 million in 2023, with about 75% of residents actively gaming.

Industry forecasts suggest the esports segment alone could grow from about USD17 million in 2025 to over USD26 million by 2034, reflecting continued investment in competitions, infrastructure and media rights (the Report Cube on UAE Esports Market Report and Forecast 2026–2034).

A key trend has been the creation of large-scale esports competitions and festivals, including, in particular, the Dubai Esports and Games Festival, with tournaments at the 2025 festival offering over AED700,000 in prize money, while the GameExpo competition alone featured prize pools exceeding AED600,000; and hosting international esports competitions such as the BLAST Premier World Final in Abu Dhabi, with a USD1 million prize pool.

In 2025, Abu Dhabi entered a USD40 million partnership with the esports organisation NIP Group – Abu Dhabi’s “AD Gaming” government-supported initiative has supported more than 50 gaming companies and built a broader esports business ecosystem.

Large infrastructure investments are also emerging. For example, plans have been announced to develop a USD280 million esports island and gaming resort in Abu Dhabi designed to host international tournaments and esports training facilities. Finally, the UAE is also investing in hybrid sports combining physical and digital competition. The country will host the Games of the Future, a “phygital” tournament blending esports and traditional sport disciplines with approximately USD5 million in total prize money.

To conclude on this point, the UAE esports audience is expanding rapidly, with projections of around 1.5 million viewers by 2025 and increasing digital streaming consumption through platforms such as Twitch.

The NFT market in the UAE has developed as part of the country’s broader strategy to promote digital assets, blockchain technology and Web3 innovation. The use and trading of virtual assets are regulated under the Federal Decree-Law No 14 of 2023 and the Virtual Asset Regulation Law (VAL), issued on 28 February 2022 and effective from 11 March 2022. As of 31 August 2023, the UAE applies a unified regulatory framework governing cryptocurrency activities.

Companies operating in Abu Dhabi must obtain a licence from the Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) under its Financial Services Regulatory Authority (FSRA) framework. Entities operating in Dubai (excluding the Dubai International Financial Centre – DIFC) must be licensed by the Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA). The DIFC remains separately regulated by the Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA), which has its own regime for investment tokens and related digital assets.

Within the sports sector, NFTs have mainly been used to create digital collectibles and fan experiences. Clubs, event organisers and sponsors have experimented with NFTs linked to memorable sporting moments, athlete images or exclusive digital merchandise. For example, McLaren Racing launched the “Race Rewind” NFT collectible series with crypto company OKX. These NFTs allow fans to collect digital artefacts commemorating each race and may unlock prizes such as VIP race experiences or team visits. The Alpine F1 Team partnered with Binance to launch the ALPINE fan token, allowing supporters to obtain NFTs, vote in fan polls and access exclusive brand experiences.

Digital activations at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix have included metaverse platforms and fan-zone experiences where visitors could purchase digital assets and NFTs linked to the event.

The UAE currently does not have a single comprehensive AI legislation/regulation, but AI governance is built around national strategies, ethical frameworks and sector-specific laws (especially data protection). The main instruments relevant to sports include:

• the UAE Strategy for Artificial Intelligence 2031;
• the UAE Charter for the Development and Use of Artificial Intelligence (2024);
• the data protection legislation (see 5.8 Data Protection); and
• the Abu Dhabi Law No 3 of 2024 establishing the Artificial Intelligence and Advanced Technology Council (AIATC), which oversees AI strategy and investment in advanced technologies.

Sports organisations, teams and sponsors increasingly use AI in several areas, including athlete performance and injury prevention, match analysis and officiating, fan engagement and media, and sports management and operations, where the UAE has launched digital platforms integrating AI into sports management, event organisation and athlete development systems.

The metaverse is still emerging in the UAE and is being promoted as part of the UAE’s broader digital-economy strategy, including the Dubai Metaverse Strategy. However, the metaverse is already used for virtual sports experiences, gaming ecosystems, fan engagement and brand marketing. Government initiatives and private investment are positioning the UAE as a regional hub for metaverse innovation, while sports organisations are exploring digital worlds as new platforms for fan interaction and commercial growth.

A release of the Dubai Racing Club of 12 January 2023 reads: “In line with Dubai Metaverse Strategy, launched by His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of The Executive Council, with the aim of transforming Dubai into one the world’s top 10 metaverse economies and a global hub for the metaverse community, the Dubai Racing Club (DRC) is set to become the world’s first racing jurisdiction to embrace the metaverse as it launches the Dubai Verse Cup (DVC), a metaverse-based gaming platform, on Sunday, 15 January.”