Winter Sports in UAE: Regional leadership; global ambitions

Abu Dhabi [UAE], February 9: Winter sports in the United Arab Emirates have made significant progress in recent years, achieving notable results in international competitions as part of an integrated development strategy focused on talent identification, strengthening national teams, and hosting continental and global championships.
Since joining the International Ice Hockey Federation in 2001, the UAE has built international partnerships, enhanced the exchange of expertise, and actively participated in global development programmes, supporting the sustained presence of its national teams in regional and international competitions.
The UAE national ice hockey team competes annually in the Ice Hockey World Championship and every four years in the Asian Winter Games. The women's team participates annually in the Asian Challenge Cup, while the under-20 youth team also competes yearly at the continental level, reflecting the sustainability of international participation.
Modern infrastructure and advanced facilities have played a key role in supporting the sport's growth through hosting international tournaments, launching talent-development programmes, and promoting women's participation in line with global trends in ice sports.
Ice hockey was officially recognised in the UAE in December 1998 and quickly spread among youth in Abu Dhabi, Al Ain and Dubai, supported by the availability of ice rinks and the presence of residents from ice-sport-playing nations.
Growing interest and rapid national team development led to Abu Dhabi hosting the Asian Challenge Cup in 2009, a major milestone marked by the UAE winning the title and the subsequent establishment of the Abu Dhabi Ice Hockey Club, later renamed the Abu Dhabi Winter Sports Club.
International achievements include first place at the Hong Kong Asian Championship in 1999, second place in 2000, and a gold medal at the Gulf Games in Kuwait in 2022. Globally, the UAE won the Ice Hockey World Championship Division II in Turkey in 2023, Division III in Luxembourg in 2022 and 2019, the Asian Para Ice Ski Championship in 2021, and the 10th Asian Ice Hockey Championship in 2017. The team also secured third place at the World Championship Division II "A" in Serbia and at the Asia-Oceania Championship in 2024.
Success has extended to other winter sports, with the UAE qualifying for the World Junior Championship in freestyle skating for the first time in 2026, and for the Winter World Games in Cortina, Italy, in skiing in February 2026.
Hamel Ahmed Al Qubaisi, Vice President of the UAE Winter Sports Federation, said the federation continues to support development through competitions, talent identification, and plans aligned with global advancements, while attracting promising athletes capable of competing internationally.
Juma Al Dhaheri, Secretary-General of the Federation, said the achievements reflect sustained efforts and ambitious plans to elevate winter sports to global levels, with a strong focus on empowering women, developing national teams, expanding local competitions, and strengthening cooperation with international federations.
Source: Emirates News Agency