World Sports Summit highlights Dubai as hub for sporting icons

The World Sports Summit concluded in Dubai on Tuesday, underlining the emirate’s growing stature as a global meeting point for iconic athletes and sports leaders, and a platform for celebrating achievement, sharing experience and shaping the future of sport.

Speaking to the Emirates News Agency (WAM), Brazilian football legend Cafu said the summit plays a vital role in honouring sporting excellence and strengthening dialogue across disciplines, noting that recognising stars for their careers reflects well-deserved appreciation for their contributions.

He stressed that such gatherings reinforce the value of sport and foster meaningful connections among athletes, administrators and fans.

British mixed martial arts star Michael “Venom” Page described the summit as an inspiring experience that went beyond famous names, bringing together diverse sporting figures with powerful personal stories. He said hearing about the challenges behind success provides motivation for athletes to persevere and remain committed, highlighting the summit’s impact as a source of learning and inspiration.

Italian great Roberto Baggio, also among the high-profile participants, said the event demonstrated how sport unites people through shared values, with discussions extending beyond victories to lessons drawn from setbacks, resilience and human connection.

The strong presence of globally recognised sports icons and decision-makers, organisers said, reflects the summit’s importance as an international platform that attracts leading voices in world sport and reinforces Dubai’s role as a centre for dialogue, leadership and innovation in the sporting sector.

FIFA, DSC sign partnership agreement: In the presence of Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence of the UAE, and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai, Sheikh Mansoor Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, President of the UAE National Olympic Committee and Chairman of the Dubai Sports Council, and FIFA President Gianni Infantino announced the launch of a new annual world football awards event in Dubai.

Effective 2026, the event will become the only official annual FIFA awards ceremony that gathers the world’s most inspirational football figures, celebrating the best players, teams, and remarkable achievements recorded across the beautiful game through the previous year.

The announcement was made during the World Sports Summit, with FIFA and the DSC signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to confirm the new partnership.

Sheikh Mansoor noted: “The Dubai Sports Council enjoys a strong partnership with FIFA, which has resulted in numerous initiatives announced by Gianni Infantino from Dubai in recent times, impacting the global football landscape.”

“We are pleased to announce this new agreement, which underscores the continued cooperation between us and reflects Dubai’s prominent position on the global football map.”

Infantino said: “We are delighted to join forces with Dubai, a city that lives and breathes football, as we develop this world-class event. These world football awards will not just be an award ceremony but an innovative way to celebrate football and honour the official top performers of the year both on and off the pitch.”

The winners of the 13th Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum International Sports Award, the largest of its kind in terms of prize value and number of categories, were announced on during the World Sports Summit.

Prominent winners of the awards included Nasser Al Khelaifi, President of Paris Saint-Germain, who won the Global Sports Leadership Award; Danish Olympic badminton champion Viktor Axelsen, who won the Global Athlete Award; Paris Saint-Germain, who won the Global Sports Team Award; FIFA, which received the Global Sports Organisation Award; and American Olympic champion Ibtihaj Muhammad, who received the Global Inspirational Athlete Award.

Serbian tennis star Novak Djokovic won the Global Lifetime Achievement Award, while Pakistani Olympic champion Arshad Nadeem received the Exceptional Sports Achievement Award. The Global Sports Career Award was presented to Brazilian football legend Ronaldo, Italian football legend Baggio, Spanish football legend Andres Iniesta, Italian football legend Paolo Maldini, French basketball legend Tony Parker and Filipino boxing legend Manny Pacquiao.

Arab stars shine bright: At the Arab level, Sheikh Nasser Bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Chairman of the Supreme Council for Youth and Sports in Bahrain, received the Arab Sports Personality Award.

The Arab Athlete Award went to Egyptian Olympic champion Ahmed El Gendy, while the Arab Sports Career Award was shared by Tunisian tennis player Ons Jabeur and Qatari Olympic champion Moez Essa Barshim.

At the UAE level, Sheikh Mohammed Bin Hamad bin Mohammed Al Sharqi, Crown Prince of Fujairah, received the Emirati Sports Personality Award.

The Emirati Athlete Award went to MMA star Khamzat Chimaev, while Al Ain Football Club won the Emirati Sports Team Award. The Promising Emirati Star Award went to Emirati Jiu-Jitsu player Ghala Al Hammadi.