The contribution of the sports sector to Dubai’s economy now exceeds AED4 billion ($1.09 billion) annually as the city emerges as a major attraction to top clubs from around the world.
Sheikh Mansour bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, chairman of Dubai Sports Council, said robust infrastructure has shaped Dubai’s sports sector.
“The contribution of the sports sector to the national and local economy continues to grow, through attracting investments and creating more jobs for young talents,” he said in comments published by state news agency WAM.
He added that the growth to a AED4 billion annual sector has come as a result of an increase in the number of national and international sporting events being hosted in Dubai.
Dubai’s advanced sports infrastructure, that includes dedicated tracks for cycling and running, in addition to the rise in number of sports academies and fitness centres, have also played a key role in the growth of Dubai’s sports sector, he said.
Dubai Sports Council revealed that around 1.5 million people regularly engage in sports and physical activities in the emirate while the number of people employed by Dubai’s sports sector has been growing significantly over the years.
Currently, there are more than 20,000 people employed in Dubai’s sports sector while more than 400 sports events, of which 130 are international, are organised in the emirate. The city is also home to more than 400 academies, that offer expert training in all kinds of sports, and more than 100 public and private sports clubs.
There are also five factories that manufacture sports equipment and sportswear in Dubai, and more than 2,500 outlets that sell training equipment and merchandise. The emirate also has over 350 registered companies that organise various sports events and training camps.
Since the beginning of 2021, Dubai has hosted over 70 training camps and friendly matches for international teams in different sports, including swimming, synchronised swimming, modern pentathlon, cycling, tennis, football, badminton, cricket, rugby and golf.
Many participants in the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games, including the Olympic men’s badminton champion, Denmark’s Viktor Axelsen, have chosen Dubai as a base.
Several Asian and European football clubs have also had their camps in Dubai in the past eight months, alongside a number of tennis and paddle players, who have regularly used the Emirate to prepare for events.
Favourable legislation, world-class facilities for tourists and visitors and the emirate’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic have enabled the emirate to firmly place itself as a preferred destination for international sports investors.
More than 200 sports stars including tennis ace Roger Federer of Switzerland, Formula One’s two-time champion Spanish driver Fernando Alonso, former Italy striker and manager of the 2020 Euro-winning Azzurris, Roberto Mancini, and a number of other former football players like Nicolas Anelka and Eric Abidal – now call Dubai their home.
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