Future Athletes, Big Bets: UAE Champions Youth on the Global Stage
1 octobre 2025
UAE Unveils Record Youth Delegation Ahead of Two Major Games
The United Arab Emirates Olympic Committee announced its largest ever youth participation this year, revealing a delegation of 248 athletes across two major continental and international events.
The team will represent the country at the Asian Youth Games in Bahrain from October 22 to 31, and at the Islamic Solidarity Games in Saudi Arabia from November 7 to 21.
The announcement came at a press conference at the UAE Olympic Committee headquarters, attended by sports leaders who outlined the participation and preparation plans.
152 UAE Athletes in Bahrain
Ahmed Al-Tayeb, Director of the Technical and Sports Affairs, confirmed that the Bahrain-bound team will number 152 athletes: 107 male, 45 female, aged 14 to 18. They will compete in 19 sports, including handball, 3x3 basketball, equestrian events, athletics, swimming, road cycling, boxing, Muay Thai, weightlifting, triathlon, taekwondo, table tennis, camel racing, e-sports, badminton, golf, judo, jiu-jitsu, and mixed martial arts.
The Asian Youth Games in Bahrain will bring together around 5,000 athletes from 45 nations, competing in 24 sports and 253 events. The expansion to include endurance horseback racing, jiu-jitsu, and Muay Thai highlights Asia’s growing participation and diversity.
The delegation is designed as a stepping stone for Emirati talents, offering a platform to identify and develop athletes who could eventually compete at the senior Olympics and Asian Games, as well as serving as a pathway to Dakar 2026.
Emirati Representation at the Islamic Solidarity Games
In parallel, the UAE will send 96 athletes (64 men and 32 women) to the sixth edition of the Islamic Solidarity Games in Saudi Arabia, across 15 sports, including judo, jiu-jitsu, karate, Muay Thai, taekwondo, athletics, swimming, equestrian, fencing, weightlifting, table tennis, e-sports, camel racing, and para-sport events.
More than 3,000 athletes from 57 Islamic nations are expected to compete, underlining the event’s global reach and UAE’s commitment to regional and international sport.
Long-Term Strategy and Youth Development
According to Nasser Al-Tamimi, Board Member and Head of the Technical Affairs Committee, these initiatives are part of a national strategy formulated a year ago to prepare early for Dakar 2026 and Los Angeles 2028. The plan focuses on age groups born from 2008 to 2011 and 2010 to 2014, with specialized training programs, talent screening, and intensive camps, plus participation in progressively challenging international events.
The aim is to build a generation capable of top-level Olympic results and to strengthen the UAE’s presence on the world sports map.
Officials emphasize that these participations are not merely about medals but about growth, experience, confidence, and mental strength—seeds planted for a future that could yield spectacular results on the world's largest stages.
Bahrain to Host and UAE’s Public Commitment
The press conference highlighted Bahrain’s role as host of the 2025 Asian Youth Games and noted the established organizing committee chaired by Sheikh Isa bin Abdulrahman Al Khalifa, with support from government and sports leadership to ensure the event’s success.
The UAE’s approach demonstrates a long-term commitment to investing in youth, not just to deliver immediate results but to build a sustainable pipeline of talent, culture exchange, and a positive national image in the world of sport.
Looking Ahead
As the two major events approach, the UAE public awaits the emergence of new faces who will carry the banner forward, proving that talent development through rigorous preparation is the surest route to global podiums.
Bonus: if athletes can outlast a camel in a sprint, we’ll all be impressed. And if that camel also medaled, well, that would be most impressive—talk about a truly multi-species medal table.
