Horse Racing
Horse racing is a more popular as compared to camel racing in the UAE. Horse racing can be enjoyed at most of the major clubs. The Dubai World Cup horse race is the world’s richest horse race and can be revered in Dubai. People can also enjoy horse riding at the various clubs and the essential equipments are provided on request. Also, there are lessons conducted for the interested. The Abu Dhabi Tourist Club, Abu Dhabi Hunting & Equestrian Club, Ajman Equestrian Club, Club Joumana, Jebel Ali Equestrian Club, Sharjah Equestrian & Racing Club and the Umm al-Qaiwain Marine Club and Riding Centre are a few of the horse racing clubs located in UAE. Have an exclusive look of the Meydan Race Course City which will be inaugurated during the 2010 World Cup and is touted to be the largest one in the current horse racing scenario.

Football
Football or soccer is one of the most popular and favourite sport after Camel racing and Horse racing. There are a lot of stadiums spread across UAE. Zayed Sports City is the largest sports complex in the country.

Cricket
As most of the population in UAE comes from the Indian sub-continent, cricket is easily become the popular sport in the country. The Sharjah Cricket Stadium hosts the annual matches for the cricket world cup.

Camel Racing
Generally takes place on weekend’s mornings in winter, Camel racing is a different sport and has become an essential part of the UAE tradition. The race takes place on special tracks and the atmosphere is completely enthusiastic during public holidays. Al Wathba Racetrack, Al Ain Racetrack and Nad al-Sheba camel track are a few of the racetracks located in UAE.

Golf
UAE has many golf courses and three of them are PGA championship golf courses. Almost all of the courses are managed by the UAE Golf Association and most of them are also found in the major hotels of the country. Dubai Desert Classic event takes place in Dubai and is marked by the world’s best golf players.

Tennis
The popularity of Tennis is taking its pitch high up and there are a lot of private clubs and hotels hosting their own tennis courts. The annual Dubai Tennis Championships is hosted in Dubai and is a WTA and ATP event wherein the top tennis players compete.

Car Rallying
Most of the cars rallying events in UAE are organized by the Emirates Motor Sports Federation. The Desert Challenge is always held in the first week of December.

Polo
Dubai Polo Club offers a chance to play polo for the polo lovers. They also provide all the equipments on rent. The polo season is hosted in the country in between Mid-October to April.

Rugby
Rugby fans can play and enjoy watching rugby matches held throughout the year across the country. Dubai hosts Six Nations Rugby Tournament in April and Dubai Rugby Sevens in November and December.

Rock Climbing
There are some interesting rock-climbing routes on the UAE Mountains. Also, you can try out indoor climbing at the Pharaohs Club, Qud al-Mehta and Pyramids in Dubai.

Sailing
There are a lot of beach clubs and hotels offering an option of sailing through the waters of the Gulf for the short-time visitors of the UAE. For a true experience you can endow the sailing dhows or wooden crafts swaying off across the Indian Ocean. Abu Dhabi International Marine Sports Club, Abu Dhabi Catamaran Association, Dubai Offshore Sailing Club, Dubai International Marine Club and the UAQ Tourist Club provide sailing equipments for the sailors.

Ice-Skating
You can enjoy ice-skating when the sun always shines in the country. The Abu Dhabi Tourist Club has got a big ice-skating rink with floodlights and TV screens. Dubai has got two ice rinks, Hyatt Regency Galleria and Al Nasr Leisureland and you need to check for the activities before going.

Other Sports
Besides the common sports you can enjoy bowling, polo, rock climbing, canoeing, athletics, chess, archery and much more. Popular water sports include boat racing, powerboat racing and jet skiing.

Traditional Sports in UAE

Sports in any country is an actively promoted activity not only for its health benefits but also for its supplementary roles as a entertainer and cultural tie ups between people for the love of game.
Being a dry land, sports in UAE are prominently related to the desert sand where camels and horses rule the roost. People flock together to watch various traditional sports amongst which the famous ones are camel racing and various forms of equestrianism. In spite of arrival of modern sport activities like golf and F1 which cater mostly to the tourists and rich people, the popularity of these traditional sports does not cease to exist in the hearts of common Arab.
Sport Clubs with state-of-the-art facilities have been constructed by the UAE government so that the residents can enjoy and play their favorite sports at leisure. Traditional sports have also been given equal weightage and are been aggressively promoted to keep their heritage alive for future generations. Various sports events and championships are arranged on a regular basis that attracts players from international arena giving the country a global viewer ship. Various sporting activities collaborate together to play an active role in promoting tourism in the country.

Camel Racing

Camel Racing: Camel Racing is a traditional Arab sport that is a part of native lives for hundreds of years. Mainly two types of camels are used Omani and Sudania for this sport where they differ only in color. They are fed on a typical diet of dates & milk and made to run certain distances to build their stamina. It was initially a long-established part of weddings and special events. But now the sport now has been given formal status with customized 15 race tracks across the UAE equipped with high tech facilities. Some of the famous ones are Nad Al Sheba Racecourse, 10 kilometers outside of Dubai and Al Wathba outside of Abu Dhabi. Customarily underage boys were used as human jockeys but due to wide condemnation from Human Rights Organization they have now been replaced by robots, which is a welcome move.

Horse Racing

Horse Racing: The Arabian horse is recognizable all around the world for its rich bloodline and is one of the oldest horse breeds; archeologically. So horse racing as a sport is an essential part of Arabian life with various tournaments arranged and lessons held for those eager to learn. Equipment for equestrian sports is easily available at all clubs where sports may assume a form of recreation. Dubai is known to host the richest horse racing tournament in the world; Dubai World Cup. In fact, Meydan racecourse city is touted to be the largest one till now and will host the 2010 Dubai World Cup.

Endurance Riding

Endurance Riding: Arabian horses which are able to sustain the rough terrain of the Gulf region are perfectly suitable for long distance, grueling endurance rides. As this sport is bounded by strict rules and the course is rough, UAE is becoming a popular place to organize such rides of international stature. UAE has had a chance to play host to FEI World Endurance Championship which is the international governing body of equestrian sports.

Traditional boat racing: Traditional sports are an intricate part of Arab life and one such sport is boat racing. In the past years, boats used to be much longer but even if today they are not so, it’s an amazing site to see a packed crew propelling their boats towards the finish line as the crowds cheer them. Boat racing is most held between October and April during the colder months when dhows with huge rigs are built and competition gets fierce about who wins the race. One such event in December is the Mubarraz Island marine sports festival held to promote marine sports heritage.

Falconry

Falconry: Falconry is one of the oldest traditional sports in UAE dating back to almost 2000 years. It was a sport originally enjoyed only by the rich Sheikh’s and also used as a means to source food such as hares and houbara for the tribe. They were also used in conjunction with Saluki hunting dogs to chase and hunt down gazelles. Falconry is not an easy sport and requires a great deal of patience to train the bird to show off its skills. The Emirates Bird Society is making efforts to save and raise public awareness about the endangered species. Stopping Illegal trade of falcons, pursuing falcons blueprint of migration are some of the methods used to preserve the species.

Dhow Sailing

Dhow Sailing: Dhow Sailing is in fact a traditional activity admist all the curious glances it gets from tourists to have a ride in a wooden constructed boat known popularly as ‘Dhow’. In past times, Dhows were used for fishing but as time demanded these Dhows have been restructured to accommodate all the modern amenities for offshore sailing along Abu Dhabi or Dubai coasts. In Dubai, to attract tourists they even have a Dhow cruise along the Dubai Creek which comes with all the luxury comforts as it disperses a beautiful view of the historic Creek. Traditional Dhow sailing competitions are held during winter months along the Sir Bu Nuair Island to revive the old days when fishermen and pearl traders used to travel the deep waters in their Dhows.

Camel racing Dubai

Camel Race
It is a very popular, adventurous and traditional sport in Dubai, UAE. Dubai has as many as 15 race tracks mainly located at outskirts of the city which are well-maintained with state-of-the-art facilities. There are around 14,000 racing camels and 9000 workers for their upkeep. The races take place in the winter season ie. last week of October to the first fortnight of April. Generally the races take place on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays or some tracks are engaged in 5-day races also. Over the past few years, Camel racing in the UAE has gained popularity and prominence worldwide.

Tandem Sky Dive
An absolute must for those who like thrilling adventure sports. It is a dive  from 12,000 feet. If one has very strong heart a free fall can also be tried. While flying one can enjoy the stunning views of the Persian Gulf, Burj Al Arab. , one of the many highlights of the coastline.

Surfing
Surfing in Dubai is the most excellent experienced at Dubai creek. The unspoiled waters of the creek are good enough for people who want to enjoy their ride. This one of the major sports activity in Dubai. There are many surfing schools providing lessons to the beginners and you can enjoy it with professionals teaching you or if one is an expert in this then go on your own to ride the blue waters.

HotBalloon Dubai UAE

Hot Air Balloon Flight
To have panoramic view of the Hajj mountains, Dubai skyline, and sand dunes, a hot air balloon ride is the only way. Ballooning is an adventurous activity for families with kids (above five years). Taking off at sunrise is a perfect time to enjoy the picturesque views of desert from above.

Desert safari
One of the most popular outdoor activities amongst the tourists, trip in the desert is an ultimate experience. There many companies offering these excursions, combined with dune bashing and safari skiing. An overnight stay with traditional Arabic entertainment is also offered by some of the tour operators. Tourists can enjoy belly-dancing, henna painting etc during this tour.

Dhow boat cruise
Dhow cruise on the Dubai creek is experience one must take whilst in Dubai. Watch city’s wonderful architecture and skyline. Many companies offer cruises with options such as food, beverages and live entertainment such as belly dance and traditional Arabic music, at an additional cost.

Wild Wadi Water Park, Dubai

Wild Wadi Water Park
Wild Wadi Waterpark is a theme park located near the Jumairah beach, Dubai, covering the area of 12 acres with state-of-the-art rides and slides. It is one of the famous water parks in UAE where kids, families and thrill-seekers enjoy the rides to the fullest extent. Ladies Night, Family Mornings, Join the wave are some of the specifically designed programs of Wild Wadi. Once you enter the Wild Wadi park, you can have access to all rides, rubber rings, body boards. One should not miss some amazing rides such as Master Blaster Slides, Ring Rides, Family ride, Jumeirah Sceirah, Flow Rider rides, Breakers Bay.

FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup 2009 – Qualifying match – Brasil v/s Uruguay

For beach soccer fanatics, November will be their dominative month when they cheer for their country at The FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup 2009 which is being hosted by the United Arab Emirates in Dubai. This is only the second time that FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup has taken place outside Brazil, the country that has won the most titles in this sport. The 2009 World Cup will take place from 16 November until 22 November 2009 and 16 teams from 6 confederations will contest amongst themselves for the coveted title.
United Arab Emirates as a host city for beach soccer competition may sound a little odd, but there are an equal number of crazy soccer aficionados that love the sport as much as horse and camel racing. In fact UAE team has proved to be Asia’s premium teams by winning the AFC titles successively in 2007 and 2008.

Something more about Beach Soccer: Beach Soccer or Beach Football or Beasal; call it by any other name is a game that is categorized under “association football” and is played on the beach or some form of sand. The game developed in a systematic manner when the Beach Soccer Worldwide adopted it on an International scale in 1992. The first championships were held between 8 teams where qualifying rounds weren’t compulsory. Brasil dominated the first Beach Soccer championship.

FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup 2009 – Qualifying match – Uruguay v/s Chile

How Beach Soccer is played: A goal keeper along with its 4 teammates make up a beach soccer team. The team is allowed to substitute unrestricted number of players. Techniques used such as throw-ins and kick-ins and unavailability of shoes during play toughen the level of the game compared to normal football. The game lasts for 36 minutes divided into three parts of 12 minutes each. Three minutes of extra time, penalty shootouts are some of the rules that the sport adheres to.

2009 Qualifiers:
Asian Zone: Yet to be announced

African Zone: Africa’s qualifying match will take place at the New Beach in Durban, South Africa from 1-5 July. Teams: Senegal, Côte d’Ivoire, Egypt, Mauritius, Libya, Morocco, Mozambique, Nigeria, and South African. Nigeria and Côte d’Ivoire finished at the top and will represent Africa at the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup Dubai 2009.

European Zone: Portugal, Switzerland, Russia, Italy and Spain have put their name down for their places in the semi-finals for the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup Dubai 2009 after qualifying for their respective semi-finals at Castellon, Spain; held between 7th and 14th June. Italy joined the European team and jetted to Dubai to take part in the semi-finals after beating France 4-2 who were the 2005 winners.

North, Central American and Caribbean Zone: The qualifying matches for CONCACAF will be held between 17th and 21st June at Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. Group A: Mexico, El Salvador and Canada. Group B: USA, Costa Rica and Bahamas. Costa Rica and El Salvador have qualified for the semi-finals.

Oceania Zone: Fiji, Vanuatu, Solomon Islands and Tahiti will battle for the semi-final berth at Moorea in Tahiti in matches held between 27 and 31 July.

South American Zone: Qualifying tournaments took place between 11 and 15 March 2009. Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay are packing their bags for UAE.

UAE has qualified automatically as it is the host country.

Contact Details:
FIFA – Fédération Internationale de Football Association
Address: FIFA-Strasse 20,P.O. Box 8044 Zurich, Switzerland
Email: enquiries@2010fwctc.com
Telephone No:+41-(0)43 222 7777
Fax No: +41-(0)43 222 7878