More than 5,000 participants expected to take part in inaugural Kalba Sports Festival

Sharjah Sports Council has unveiled details of the inaugural Kalba Sports Festival 2026 during a media briefing held in Kalba on Thursday.

Held under the patronage of Sheikh Abdullah Bin Salem Bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Deputy Ruler of Sharjah, the festival will take place from November 6 to 14 under the slogan “Live the Competition... Enjoy the Experience”.

The nine-day event is expected to attract more than 5,000 participants, including athletes, sports enthusiasts and members of the wider community. With prize money exceeding Dhs 350,000, the festival will bring together competitive championships, sporting challenges, entertainment and cultural activities.

The media briefing was attended by Sheikh Dr Khalid Bin Humaid Al Qasimi, Chairman of Sharjah Sports Council, alongside Dr Abdullah Abdulrahman Bin Sultan, Vice Chairman of the Council; Mohammed Obaid Al Hasssan Al Shamsi, Secretary-General; Dr Saif Ahmed Al Zaabi, Board Member of Sharjah Sports Council and Chairman of the Organising Committee; other board members; members of the organising committee; representatives of various entities; and local and regional media.

The festival is part of Sharjah Sports Council's efforts to strengthen Kalba's position as a destination for sporting and community events, expand participation in sports and encourage people of all age groups to adopt healthy and active lifestyles. It will also make use of the city's natural and tourism attractions to deliver an integrated experience combining sporting competition with entertainment and community engagement.

Over nine days, the festival will offer a packed programme of team and individual championships, water sports, electronic competitions and open challenges, providing participants and visitors with opportunities to experience a wide range of sporting activities that test skill, strength, endurance and teamwork.

During the media briefing, organisers outlined the festival's overall vision, objectives and sporting programme, highlighting the championships, accompanying activities, competition schedules and preparations aimed at delivering an inaugural edition that reflects Sharjah's sporting and community ambitions.

The festival is designed to go beyond traditional sporting competitions by combining sport, entertainment, culture and community interaction. Professional athletes, amateurs, school and university students, families and visitors will all have opportunities to participate in a variety of activities.

The event will also showcase Kalba's facilities and natural and tourism attractions, strengthen its presence on the sporting events calendar and contribute to tourism and economic activity by attracting visitors from across Sharjah and the UAE.

The festival's programme features a wide range of team, individual, water and electronic sports, alongside community activities. Competitions will run throughout the nine days, with preliminary rounds, knockout stages and finals scheduled across the programme.

Football will be one of the main attractions of the festival, with a nine-day tournament running from November 6 to 14. The competition will feature daily matches, with four games scheduled each day during the preliminary stages, between 4pm and 9pm.

The quarter-finals will take place on Thursday, November 12, followed by the semi-finals on Friday, November 13. The tournament will conclude with the final on Saturday, November 14, at 9pm.

A total of Dhs70,000 in prize money has been allocated to the football competition, providing an additional incentive for participating teams.

Community volleyball will also feature prominently, with a tournament running throughout the festival's nine days. The competition aims to encourage community participation and provide teams with an opportunity to showcase their technical abilities and teamwork.

Matches begin on November 6, with four games scheduled daily during the opening rounds. The quarter-finals will be held on November 12, followed by the semi-finals on November 13. The final is scheduled for Saturday, November 14, at 5pm.

Padel will feature in a three-day tournament from November 6 to 8, reflecting the sport's growing popularity among different age groups.

The group stages will take place on Friday and Saturday, November 6 and 7, with the final rounds scheduled for Sunday, November 8. Matches will be held during the evening, from 4pm to 10pm.

The tournament will offer Dhs18,000 in prize money, encouraging participation and delivering an exciting sporting experience for competitors and spectators.

Airsoft will be among the festival's major attractions for enthusiasts of tactical sports, combining quick reactions, shooting accuracy, strategic planning and teamwork.

The three-day competition will run from November 11 to 13, beginning with the group stages on Wednesday and Thursday before reaching its final rounds on Friday, November 13.

A total of Dhs32,000 in prize money has been allocated to the competition, reflecting the organisers' commitment to introducing diverse sporting experiences and attracting new participants.

Jiu-jitsu competitions will take place on Saturday, November 7, showcasing a sport that combines technical ability, physical strength and tactical control.

The competition and final rounds will be held between 4pm and 10pm, giving participants an opportunity to demonstrate their skills and compete for top honours.

A running event is scheduled for Saturday, November 7, as part of the festival's individual sporting activities.

The event aims to encourage physical activity, promote fitness and strengthen the culture of sport among different segments of the community.

The Kalba Obstacle Challenge will test participants' physical abilities, speed, flexibility and endurance.

The competition will take place over two days. Thursday, November 12, will feature the youth and junior categories, while Friday, November 13, will host the men's and women's finals.

The challenge will offer participants an opportunity to experience a demanding sporting activity that combines physical endurance with agility and movement skills.

Making the most of Kalba's distinctive natural landscape, the festival will organise a mountain trekking activity on Saturday, November 14.

Registration will begin at 3am, with the activity scheduled to start at 4am. The experience aims to promote outdoor sports, adventure and physical challenges while allowing participants to enjoy the region's natural surroundings.

A cycling activity will take place on Friday, November 13, as part of the festival's efforts to encourage cycling and promote its popularity among members of the community.

The activity adds further variety to the programme and provides opportunities for people with different sporting interests to participate.

Water sports will feature through kayaking competitions scheduled for Friday, November 13. The final rounds will take place between 4pm and 10pm.

The inclusion of kayaking is particularly significant given Kalba's coastal setting and natural attractions, adding a distinctive water-sports element to the festival programme.

The festival will also feature electronic gaming competitions through a dedicated Schools and Universities Challenge, running for four days from November 9 to 12.

The group stages will take place on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, with the final rounds scheduled for Thursday, November 12.

The competition aims to attract young people and students, providing an opportunity to compete in an increasingly popular field while adding a modern dimension to the festival's sporting programme.

The festival has allocated more than Dhs350,000 in total prize money across its various championships and competitions, providing additional motivation for participants and raising the competitive standard of the event.

The announced prize allocations include Dhs 70,000 for football, Dhs32,000 for airsoft and Dhs18,000 for padel, alongside awards for the other sporting competitions.

The prize structure reflects the organisers' commitment to attracting participants, encouraging strong competition and rewarding sporting excellence.

The Kalba Sports Festival will extend beyond sporting competitions to include a range of community, entertainment and cultural activities, with the aim of creating an integrated destination for athletes, families and visitors.

The accompanying programme will combine physical activity with social interaction, giving visitors opportunities to enjoy a varied experience throughout the festival.

The cultural element will also highlight Kalba's local identity and strengthen the connection between sporting activities and the community that hosts the event.

The festival is being organised through cooperation between Sharjah Sports Council and various sporting, organisational and supporting entities, with the aim of ensuring that all competitions and activities are delivered according to an integrated programme.

Preparations include setting up competition venues, coordinating sporting schedules, meeting technical and administrative requirements, managing participant and spectator movement, and strengthening the festival's media presence through television coverage, digital platforms and social media.

The collaboration between the various committees will help deliver an organised experience that reflects the scale and diversity of the event while ensuring coordination across sporting, community and media activities.

The festival's programme will feature several important finals throughout the nine days.

The first finals will take place on Saturday, November 7, with jiu-jitsu and running events, followed by the padel finals on Sunday, November 8.

Thursday, November 12, will feature the youth and junior finals of the Obstacle Challenge, alongside the Schools and Universities Challenge.

Friday, November 13, will see the airsoft finals, the men's and women's Obstacle Challenge finals and the kayaking finals.

The festival will conclude on Saturday, November 14, with the community volleyball final at 5pm and the football final at 9pm, bringing nine days of sporting competitions and activities to a close.

As the inaugural Kalba Sports Festival approaches, the city is preparing to welcome athletes, sports enthusiasts, families and visitors for an event that reflects the diversity of Sharjah's sporting and community landscape.

The festival aims to establish itself as a regular fixture on the sporting events calendar, offering a model that combines competitive sport, community participation and the use of Kalba's natural and tourism attractions.

The inaugural edition is expected to mark an important step towards developing the festival in future years and strengthening Kalba's position as a destination for championships and sporting activities.