UAE Youth Kickboxing Championship to begin on July 31

Abu Dhabi: The UAE Youth Kickboxing Championship will get underway on July 31 at the Mubadala Dome, Al Jazira Club in Abu Dhabi. Organised by the UAE Muaythai and Kickboxing Federation, the championship is part of the federation’s calendar of domestic competitions aimed at developing the sport, expanding its presence across the country, and providing young athletes with a competitive platform to showcase their talent.

The event also seeks to nurture the next generation of kickboxers by enhancing their technical skills, increasing competitive exposure, and building a strong pipeline of talent for future regional and international competitions.

The championship brings together four competitive disciplines in a single tournament, comprising Point Fighting and Kick Light contested on the tatami (mat), alongside Low Kick and K-1 contested inside the ring, giving players the opportunity to gain varied experience and acquire further technical expertise across the different styles of the sport.

The championship will see participation from various youth age categories, in competitions held under the regulations of the World Association of Kickboxing Organisations (WAKO), reflecting the UAE Muaythai and Kickboxing Federation’s commitment to continuing to organise local championships that help raise the level of competition among clubs and academies, discover talent, and hone their technical and physical abilities, in support of the development of the national teams.

Medical examinations and weigh-ins will be held on July 29 at the federation’s headquarters in Abu Dhabi, followed by the coaches’ meeting and official draw on July 30. Preliminary bouts will take place on July 31, semi-finals on August 1 and finals on August 2.

The championship’s final day will also feature People of Determination competitions, with outstanding participation from athletes in collaboration with the UAE Special Olympics. This reflects the continued partnership and ongoing programmes between the UAE Muay Thai & Kickboxing Federation and its partners across the country, reaffirming the Federation’s commitment to promoting inclusion and expanding opportunities for all athletes.

Ali Khouri, Board Member of the UAE Muaythai and Kickboxing Federation, stated: “The UAE Youth Kickboxing Championship represents an important milestone in the Federation’s competition agenda, given the comprehensive competitive environment it provides, which contributes to developing the skills of young players and raising the level of engagement between them, positively reflecting on the development of the sport of kickboxing and the expansion of its practitioner base in the country.”

He added: “The championship is distinguished by holding its competitions across four different disciplines within a single tournament, which gives players the opportunity to gain varied experience and enhances their technical readiness, while also reflecting the federation’s keenness to organise comprehensive championships that keep pace with the development the sport of kickboxing is witnessing at both the local and international levels.”