Rising stars clash as UAE Youth Muaythai Championship enters crucial stage

The UAE Youth Muaythai Championship moves into its semi-final rounds on Saturday at Mubadala Dome, Al Jazira Sports Club in Abu Dhabi, with the finals and podium ceremonies set for Sunday.

Organised by the UAE Muay Thai and Kickboxing Federation, the championship opened on Friday evening and features 790 male and female athletes from 51 clubs across the country, competing within the agenda of the 2026–27 Emirates Champions Season.

The opening day delivered a strong launch across every age group from 6 to 17 years old, with closely contested bouts across the full card of 198 weight categories. Competition is staged across five simultaneous arenas, made up of three rings and two tatami mats for Muay Thai, all run under the technical regulations of the International Federation of Muaythai Associations (IFMA), in front of a strong turnout of spectators.

The scale of participation reflects the growing standing of Muay Thai across the youth age groups in the UAE, and the continued work of clubs and academies in attracting athletes, developing their technical level, and widening the base of the sport. It also gives the Federation’s technical staff a live look at the country’s most promising young talent in official competitive conditions.

The championship is the second domestic event of the 2026–27 Emirates Champions Season, following the UAE Kickboxing Championship (Seniors Category) staged in September. The Federation’s calendar continues to deliver a series of competitions designed to serve every age category and support both technical and competitive development pathways across the season.

Ali Khouri, Board Member of the UAE Muay Thai and Kickboxing Federation, said: “The scale of participation we are seeing here reflects the growth Muay Thai is now experiencing among our young age categories. It confirms the important role our clubs and academies are playing in widening the base of the sport, attracting more talent, and preparing them in a structured way.”

He added: “The championship gives our athletes a real competitive stage on which to test their abilities and gain experience, and it gives our technical staff an important opportunity to monitor the level of the most promising young talent and track their development more closely. All of that feeds into the work of discovering and refining talent in the stages ahead.”

He continued: “Through the Federation’s competition calendar, we are committed to delivering regular competitions for every age category. That raises the level of exposure between athletes, lifts their technical readiness, and supports the work of our clubs and academies in preparing a new generation of talent capable of carrying UAE Muay Thai forward and representing the country in the commitments ahead.”