MST Academy partnership to open two Dubai summer sports centres with Ministry of Sport backing
MST Academy partnership with UAE committee and Ministry of Sport will open two Dubai summer sports centres to boost youth talent development and family programmes.
The Emirates Committee for Nurturing Sports Talent and Supporting National Sport has signed a strategic MST Academy partnership with the Ministry of Sport to expand youth training in Dubai. The collaboration, announced this week, will add two summer sports centres to MST Academy’s existing facility and provide equipment and professional support. Officials said the move is aimed at widening access to sport for children and strengthening pathways for talent identification and development. The initiative also ties into national priorities for family engagement and community cohesion.
Committee and MST Academy sign strategic partnership
The Emirates Committee for Nurturing Sports Talent and Supporting National Sport formalised the agreement with MST Academy under the patronage of the Ministry of Sport. The partnership is designed to promote cooperation between government bodies and national private-sector institutions in the sports sector. Committee leaders emphasised that the alliance will help accelerate the discovery and nurturing of young athletes across multiple disciplines. The announcement positions the MST Academy partnership as a public-private model for grassroots sports investment.
Expansion includes two new Dubai summer training centres
Under the agreement, MST Academy will open two additional summer training centres in Dubai alongside its current venue. The committee will support the expansion by supplying equipment and essential sports infrastructure to ensure each centre meets international training standards. The new centres are intended to operate through the summer months and to host programmes for early-age talent across several sports. Organisers expect the added capacity to increase participation and provide more structured development opportunities for children and adolescents.
Ministry backing aims to strengthen talent pathways
Sheikh Suhail bin Butti Al Maktoum, Assistant Undersecretary for Sports Development and Competitiveness at the Ministry of Sport and head of the committee, outlined the strategic rationale for the partnership. He said the initiative reflects a commitment to bolster sports academies and seasonal training hubs while empowering national private entities to scale their capabilities. The Ministry’s role includes oversight and strategic alignment with broader youth development objectives. Officials view the move as a step toward building a sustainable national pipeline of athletes supported by professional training environments.
Founder frames expansion as a family-rooted mission
Ahmed Al Marri, founder of MST Academy, described the partnership as a milestone for the academy, noting the project’s roots in community and family experience. He said his motivation to launch the academy grew from his role as a father and from formative sporting experiences in neighborhood settings, where passion for sport often begins. Al Marri emphasised the academy’s focus on creating safe, stimulating environments that enable children to develop skills from a young age. He thanked the committee for its support and said the additional centres will help MST Academy reach a larger cohort of young talent.
Programme design will emphasise best practices and equipment provision
The committee’s support extends beyond locations to include the provision of equipment and the establishment of training environments aligned with global best practices. Officials indicated that the centres will be outfitted to deliver age-appropriate coaching, safety protocols, and performance monitoring. The partnership will also look to standardise training methodologies across sites to ensure consistent talent development outcomes. By combining governmental backing with private-sector delivery, the initiative aims to raise the quality and accessibility of youth sport offerings in Dubai.
Initiative aligns with Year of the Family and community objectives
Organisers said the MST Academy partnership complements the objectives of the Year of the Family by involving parents in summer activities and reinforcing social cohesion through sport. The summer centres are designed to engage families alongside young athletes, providing support resources and encouraging parental involvement in children’s athletic journeys. The committee highlighted the role of sport in promoting healthy lifestyles and strengthening family and community bonds. Officials described the centres as places where talent development and family engagement intersect to produce broader societal benefits.
The partnership sets a new example of government-supported private provision in youth sport, with officials and academy leaders now preparing implementation plans for the upcoming summer period. Stakeholders said they will monitor participation levels and developmental outcomes as the centres open, with an emphasis on scaling successful practices nationwide. The MST Academy partnership is being presented as a replicable model for expanding access to professional sports training across the UAE.
