UAE Athletics Cup Kicks Off May 8 at Dubai Police Officers Club
UAE Athletics Cup begins May 8–10 at Dubai Police Officers Club, featuring 560 athletes and 50 events on day one across track and field, organisers confirm.
The UAE Athletics Cup opens on May 8, 2026, at the Dubai Police Officers Club track, bringing together clubs and specialised centres for three days of competition.
The tournament, billed as one of the largest domestic athletics events of the season, will run through May 10 and includes age-group and senior categories.
Event Kicks Off May 8 at Dubai Police Officers Club
The competition is organised by the UAE Athletics Federation and will use the full facilities at the Dubai Police Officers Club.
Officials say the venue is prepared to host athletes across multiple disciplines over the scheduled three-day window.
Spectators and team officials are expected on site each day as athletes compete across a packed timetable.
Start times and the complete event order were issued to participating clubs ahead of the opening session.
Day One Features 50 Track and Field Competitions
Organisers confirmed that the first day will stage 50 separate events spanning track and field disciplines.
Track action on May 8 includes racewalking over 3,000m and 5,000m, sprint and middle-distance races from 80m up to 3,000m, plus 400m hurdles and a 2,000m steeplechase.
Field competitions scheduled for day one comprise long jump, triple jump, high jump, javelin, hammer throw, shot put and discus.
The dense programme aims to give a broad competitive platform for athletes across multiple age bands.
Categories Include U16, U18, U20, Ashbal and Senior Athletes
Events will be contested across boys’ and girls’ divisions for U16, U18 and U20 age groups, alongside younger “ashbal” categories and open senior competitions.
This range is designed to provide progression opportunities for emerging talent and to align domestic competition with regional development pathways.
Age-group formats follow national competition rules, with heats and finals structured to maximise participation.
Coaches have been advised to confirm entries and manage athlete recovery across the three-day schedule.
560 Competitors Entered from Clubs and Specialist Centres
The federation reported a total entry of 560 athletes, making the UAE Athletics Cup one of the season’s largest meets by participation.
Competitors represent a wide cross-section of domestic clubs and specialist training centres, reflecting growing depth in national athletics.
Officials said the large entry list required careful scheduling and close coordination with team managers.
Medical, technical and volunteer staff have been assigned to support smooth athlete flow and event adjudication.
Federation Emphasises Talent Evaluation Ahead of Regional Meets
Rashed Nasser Al Ali, a member of the UAE Athletics Federation board and head of the national teams committee, described the tournament as a key evaluation moment.
He said the UAE Athletics Cup offers selectors an opportunity to assess athlete readiness before upcoming regional and continental competitions.
Al Ali added that the event reflects the federation’s strategy to boost competitiveness and to prepare a new generation of athletes for international representation.
Selection considerations will take into account performance across events as well as athletes’ preparedness for external commitments.
Organisers Confirm Technical and Administrative Readiness
The organising committee issued a statement on May 7 confirming that technical and administrative arrangements are complete.
Officials highlighted completed accreditation, equipment checks and timetable finalisation as part of pre-event preparations.
Event staff will operate under established safety and competition protocols, with results processing teams ready to publish outcomes each day.
Transport and accreditation for visiting clubs have also been coordinated to minimise logistical disruption.
The UAE Athletics Cup is expected to provide a dense competitive environment that stresses both performance and depth across disciplines.
Coaches, selectors and athletes alike will use the three-day meeting to benchmark progress and to finalise plans for the summer competition calendar.
