UAE School Games 2025 begins with table tennis and soccer competitions

The UAE School Games 2025 officially commenced on Tuesday, attracting widespread participation from 2,686 students representing 875 schools.

To be concluded on May 24, this national-level event features 12 key sports categories, including football, swimming, athletics, judo, taekwondo, jiu-jitsu, archery, fencing, badminton, laser shooting, table tennis, and chess.

The event began at 10am, with the table tennis competitions and the girls’ football matches taking place at Dubai Sports City. Swimming events are scheduled for Wednesday at the main pool of Hamdan Sports Complex in Dubai, starting at 9am.

These events will include short-distance, mid-distance, and relay races to determine the champions of this year’s edition.

Athletic competitions will take place on May 22 at the track and field facility of James Modern Academy in Dubai, featuring various short, middle, and long-distance races, along with jumping and throwing events.

The finals for the remaining nine sports categories will occur on May 24 at the North Halls of the Dubai Exhibition Centre, Expo City. The closing ceremony and awards presentation will be held at 6 PM on the same day, attended by prominent sports figures, representatives of partners, and student parents.

Sheikh Suhail Bin Butti Al Maktoum, Assistant Undersecretary for Sports Development and Competitiveness at the Ministry of Sports and Chairman of the UAE Sports Federation for School and University Institutions, highlighted the remarkable success of the latest edition of the UAE School Games Championship, exemplified by the widespread participation of both students and schools.

A total of 4,696 students, including 3,036 boys and 1,660 girls from 875 schools across the Emirates, participated in the event, showcasing the UAE’s strong commitment to enhancing the school sports sector through early talent identification and training.

He further stated: “The School Games play a critical role in nurturing future champions, and empowering Emirati athletes to shine on the world stage, achieving great success at the Olympics, as well as various continental and international levels.

“Such tournaments also help foster a culture of sports within the community by inspiring young people to lead a healthy and active lifestyle. This year’s edition, in particular, has truly lived up to our expectations, due to impressive participation and the strong spirit of competition displayed by the students.

“As the finals commence, the nation’s most talented young athletes will compete for the top spots and a chance to win gold, silver, and bronze medals.”

The annual School Games Championship is organised by the UAE Sports Federation for schools and University Institutions in collaboration with the Ministry of Sports, the Ministry of Education, the National Olympic Committee, and several sports federations and educational bodies.

This strategic collaboration reflects ongoing cooperation between the sports and education sectors to support emerging athletic talents and achieve the goals of the ‘National Sports Strategy 2031’, which aims to increase the number of Emirati athletes qualifying for successive Olympic Games, with an ambitious target of more than 30 athletes set for the 2032 Olympics.