Abu Dhabi to host first international RAF NEXT GEN youth wrestling event

 First international RAF NEXT GEN tournament will bring hundreds of young wrestlers to Abu Dhabi on 14-15 November 2026, culminating with the championship finals at Etihad Arena

ABU DHABI: The next generation of world-class wrestlers are set to take to the mats in Abu Dhabi next month after Real American Freestyle (RAF), the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) and the UAE Wrestling Federation announced a partnership to bring the wrestling promotion’s first international youth tournament to the Middle East – RAF NEXT GEN Abu Dhabi.

Registration is now open across all weight classes. Athletes can register here, with limited places available in each division.

RAF NEXT GEN provides young wrestlers a platform to compete in the RAF ecosystem, earn ranking points and potentially qualify for RAF championship events. Making its international debut in Abu Dhabi on November 14, the programme will gather hundreds of wrestlers from international and regional wrestling federations for the RAF Abu Dhabi weekend.

While some of the world’s most prominent professional wrestlers take the spotlight inside Etihad Arena, on Yas Island, at RAF Abu Dhabi, the younger generation will compete in preliminary qualifiers at NYU Abu Dhabi on 14 November. The following day, November 15, the youth competition will move to Etihad Arena, giving the finalists the opportunity to compete on the same mats as some of the sport’s biggest names.

RAF NEXT GEN Abu Dhabi is an extension of the five-year partnership between RAF, DCT Abu Dhabi and the UAE Wrestling Federation.

“From the beginning, we believed that building the RAF meant building the entire sport, not just a professional league,” said Chad Bronstein, CEO and Co-Founder of RAF. “Taking NEXT GEN international is a major step in that vision. Bringing young athletes from different countries to Abu Dhabi and giving them the chance to compete on the same stage as the sport’s biggest names is exactly the kind of pathway wrestling needs more of.”

“Abu Dhabi’s ambition goes beyond hosting world-class sporting events,” said Fakhry Alsarraj, Acting Executive Director of the Events, Retail & Culinary Sector at DCT Abu Dhabi. “We also want to create platforms that contribute to the long-term development of wrestling and sport more broadly. RAF NEXT GEN adds an important youth dimension to our partnership with RAF and the UAE Wrestling Federation, bringing athletes and federations together, showcasing a world-class destination, and supporting Abu Dhabi’s continued growth as a regional hub for combat sports.”

Competition will span four age divisions – U11, U13, U15 and U17 – with girls’ competitions included at U13 and U15. The international field will include participants coming from the UAE Wrestling Federation, other regional federations and individual athletes. Registration opens today and is available here.

Sheikh Hamdan Bin Saeed Bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan, Secretary General of the UAE Wrestling Federation, said: “Developing the next generation is central to the long-term growth of wrestling in the UAE, and events like RAF NEXT GEN Abu Dhabi help create stronger pathways for young athletes while strengthening the emirate’s position as a growing destination for the sport.”

RAF NEXT GEN launched in the US earlier this year as a youth and development platform designed to give young wrestlers, coaches and wrestling federations a place within the highly competitive RAF ecosystem where they can compete, connect and develop.

RAF Abu Dhabi takes place on November 14 at the Etihad Arena, headlined by Khamzat Chimaev and Colby Covington. RAF NEXT GEN begins earlier that day at NYU Abu Dhabi, with the top athletes advancing to the championship finals at Etihad Arena on November 15.