Emirates World Falcon Racing Cup: Bahrain to Host Second Edition in December 2026
Bahrain to host the second Emirates World Falcon Racing Cup in the first week of December 2026, boosting UAE‑Bahrain ties and promoting falcon racing worldwide.
Bahrain confirmed as host for December 2026 event
The UAE Falconers’ Federation has approved the Kingdom of Bahrain to host the second Emirates World Falcon Racing Cup, scheduled for the first week of December 2026. The federation said the decision follows directives to stage the championship annually and to expand its international reach.
The announcement positions the Emirates World Falcon Racing Cup as a recurring global event intended to travel across continents from the 2025–2026 season. Organisers said the Bahrain edition reinforces the tournament’s role in elevating the profile of falcon racing internationally.
Leadership and patronage behind the championship
The tournament is being held under the directives of Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan and under the patronage of Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. Organisational oversight will be maintained by Sheikh Zayed bin Hamdan bin Hamdan Al Nahyan in his capacity as deputy head of the international federation and vice president of the UAE Falconers’ Federation.
Officials framed the cup as a federation-led initiative to position the United Arab Emirates as the global hub for falcon racing. They said the leadership’s involvement signals sustained institutional support for preserving and promoting falconry as both sport and cultural heritage.
Cooperation with Bahraini heritage authorities
The second Emirates World Falcon Racing Cup will be organised in partnership with the Bahrain Committee for Heritage Sports, a founding member of the International Federation for Falcon Sports and Racing. Coordination will also involve relevant Bahraini authorities and the UAE embassy in Manama.
Officials highlighted that the partnership draws on Bahrain’s organisational experience and longstanding engagement with traditional sports. The cooperation aims to ensure smooth logistics, competitive integrity, and wide participation from regional and international teams.
Goals: heritage preservation and international expansion
Federation statements emphasised that the championship is intended to safeguard falconry as an intergenerational heritage while expanding its competitive and cultural footprint. The Emirates World Falcon Racing Cup is designed to create a recurring international platform where modern sporting standards meet traditional practices.
Organisers said the annual rotation of host continents will help integrate falcon racing into global sporting agendas and attract new audiences. The championship is also being presented as a vehicle to strengthen bilateral ties, with organisers noting the deep historic and cultural links between the UAE and Bahrain.
Logistics, categories and forthcoming details
The UAE Falconers’ Federation said it will release full technical regulations, registration procedures, participation categories, race disciplines, schedule and prize structures in the coming weeks. All formal notices and updates will be published on the federation’s official website and social media platforms.
Officials indicated that the forthcoming release will cover eligibility criteria, timing systems, animal welfare standards and dispute-resolution procedures. They also pledged that prize money and awards will reflect the championship’s international stature and the federation’s commitment to transparent competition.
The Bahrain-hosted edition marks the first time an international tournament bearing the UAE name will be staged outside Emirates territory, a step organisers describe as strategic for the sport’s globalisation. With the second Emirates World Falcon Racing Cup confirmed, stakeholders in both countries have highlighted the event as a testbed for enhanced cooperation on heritage sports.
Organisers encouraged prospective participants, sponsors and federations to monitor official channels for registration windows and technical briefings. They said that early announcements will enable teams to prepare birds, handlers and support crews in compliance with the upcoming rules.
The decision to hold the second Emirates World Falcon Racing Cup in Bahrain underscores a broader regional impulse to professionalise traditional sporting disciplines and to integrate cultural heritage into contemporary sporting calendars. The federation’s move to rotate host locations is intended to diversify the sport’s geographic base and to showcase local capabilities in staging high-profile falcon racing events.
Preparations now turn to operational planning in Manama, with both UAE and Bahraini organisers citing a shared commitment to high organisational standards and animal welfare. The coming months will determine entry lists, technical panels and the final competition timetable ahead of the first-week December 2026 window.