The event will be held under the patronage of H. H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defence, and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai, and under the guidance of H. H. Sheikh Mansoor bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, President of the UAE Olympic Committee and Chairman of the Dubai Sports Council.
Organised by the Dubai Sports Council, the summit will be staged under the theme “Uniting the World Through Sport”, extending a platform launched last year to position Dubai as a meeting point for sports leadership, commercial innovation and international cooperation. The 2026 edition is being designed around issues reshaping the industry, including advanced technologies, artificial intelligence, athlete development, fan engagement, governance, new sports formats and the expanding economic role of major events.
The summit will also feature the presentation of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Sports Award, one of the region’s most prominent honours recognising athletes, teams, administrators and institutions whose work has had a significant impact on sport. The award component gives the forum a dual character as both a policy and business gathering and a platform for honouring high achievers.
The first edition of the summit drew more than 1,500 sports figures, officials and decision-makers, including about 200 international stars. Its programme included major names from football, tennis, boxing, basketball, mixed martial arts and Olympic sport, while its online reach was amplified through live streams and social media engagement across global audiences.
Among the figures who took part in the inaugural summit were FIFA President Gianni Infantino, tennis champion Novak Djokovic, boxing icon Manny Pacquiao, former footballers Ronaldo, Cafu, Roberto Baggio, Alessandro Del Piero, Rio Ferdinand, Carles Puyol and Andres Iniesta, MMA figure Khabib Nurmagomedov, Paris Saint-Germain president Nasser Al Khelaifi, basketball star Tony Parker and Olympic medallists from multiple disciplines.
The next edition is expected to expand the summit’s role beyond celebrity participation, with greater emphasis on building partnerships between federations, clubs, technology companies, investors and public authorities. Work is already under way to define themes that match the rapid transformation of sport as a business, social platform and diplomatic tool.
Dubai’s sports strategy gives the summit wider significance. The Dubai Sports Sector Strategic Plan 2033 aims to raise the sector’s annual contribution to the emirate’s GDP from AED10.17 billion to AED18.3 billion, increase the number of residents actively participating in sport from 1.6 million to 2.6 million, and lift annual attendance at major sports events from 1.67 million to 4.1 million.
The emirate already hosts more than 400 sports events a year, spanning elite competitions, mass-participation races, school tournaments, corporate leagues and community fitness programmes. Its sports calendar has increasingly become part of Dubai’s wider tourism and lifestyle economy, supporting hotels, aviation, retail, media, sponsorship and entertainment.
The summit also comes as the Middle East deepens investment in sport across football, motorsport, combat sports, golf, tennis, esports and major-event hosting. Gulf cities are competing to attract federations, tournaments, academies and sports-technology companies, while global leagues and clubs are seeking new audiences and commercial partners across the region.
For Dubai, the World Sports Summit fits a broader strategy of using global forums to reinforce its position as a convener across sectors. The city has built a model around high-profile gatherings in government, aviation, finance, technology, health, culture and climate policy. Sport now occupies a larger place in that calendar, reflecting its value as both an economic sector and a tool for social participation.
The 2026 programme is expected to address how artificial intelligence is changing athlete performance, scouting, broadcasting, ticketing, injury prevention and anti-doping systems. Technology is also altering the relationship between clubs and supporters, with data-led personalisation, streaming platforms and digital communities creating new revenue models beyond traditional matchday income.
Talent attraction and development will be another key area. Dubai has sought to position itself as a base for athletes, coaches, academies, sports medicine specialists and entrepreneurs. Its infrastructure, connectivity and growing events ecosystem have strengthened its appeal to organisations looking for regional headquarters or training hubs.
The summit’s policy dimension is likely to cover governance, integrity and sustainability, areas that have become central to international sport as federations confront pressures over financial transparency, athlete welfare, inclusion, climate impact and the legacy of mega-events. The presence of administrators, investors and athletes on one platform is intended to create practical dialogue rather than a purely promotional showcase.
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