Dubai Sevens in Dubai expects international participants despite war in the region
Organizers of the Emirates Dubai Sevens sports festival in Dubai, UAE, expect significant international participation despite the war in the region. The competitions will take place at The Sevens stadium from November 27 to 29 and will once again serve as the opening round of the HSBC SVNS World Series in rugby sevens, The National reports.
Team registration
General manager and festival director Matthew Tait said that registration by overseas teams remains active. According to him, some teams have not yet made a final decision, but organizers remain in contact with them.
Tait noted that organizers are regularly in contact with World Rugby regarding the World Series round, while preparations are continuing according to plan. The festival team is also communicating with international participants in all sports, answering their questions about the situation on the ground.
Tait estimated that the total number of participants could be at least at the 2025 level. More than 88,000 people attended the festival last year.
More current news is available on the UA.News Telegram channel Telegram.
Gaelic football in the program
In 2026, Gaelic football will be added to the festival program as the event's sixth sport. Four competition levels, from elite to open, are planned for both men and women. Matches will be held in a specially adapted seven-a-side format on the complex's fifth field.
Rugby has been the central sport of Dubai Sevens since the tournament was founded in 1970. The program also includes netball, cricket, fitness, and padel. Tait said organizers view the new Gaelic football tournament as an avenue for international development.
For spectators, organizers are also preparing a zip line, a Ferris wheel, and an inflatable children's zone, which they call the largest in the UAE.
