Excitement builds with Emirates Dubai 7s ready to welcome 5,500 athletes from 32 countries

Gulf Today, Staff Reporter 

In a boost to Dubai’s proposition as the place to be this winter season, some 5,500 athletes from 32 countries will soon arrive to compete in 28 Emirates Dubai 7s invitational tournaments over the long UAE national day weekend starting December 1.

Emirates has been a steadfast supporter of the Dubai 7s since its beginnings, which today has become the highlight of the Dubai’s event calendar, and the biggest and most popular sports and social gathering among the hundreds of other events hosted in the UAE every year.

Over 420 sports teams will play in high-powered competitions spanning rugby 7’s, cricket, netball, and the annual festival’s newest addition, a fitness competition, WODON3, geared for both elite and amateur athletes looking to push their limits.

The HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series usually kicks off its season at the Emirates Dubai 7s with some of the world’s best male and female pro-rugby players from 28 countries with top-ranking and Olympic winning teams participating, including Australia & Fiji as well as Dubai fan favourites South Africa, Ireland & Great Britain, all set to compete on the pitch.

At the Emirates Dubai 7s, rugby action isn't limited to professional players. The truly inclusive event will also host International Invitational and Open Tournaments for Men & Women as well as Social, Vets for the over 35s and Under 19 Boys competitions while the best teams from across the Gulf Region will battle it out for the Gulf Men’s League, Open, Social, Vets, Women, U19 Boys and Girls, and the UAE National Development Cup, created exclusively for Emirati players. These 16 additional events will be played across the three days at The Sevens Stadium.

On the cricket front, the Emirates Dubai 7s will be hosting teams to compete in the Open Competitive & Open Social, competitions accessible to women, men and youth as well as the Emirates Aviation Cup invitational tournaments.

Netball is one of the largest female participation sports with 20 million people playing in more than 80 countries, and a growing fan and participant base. The sport has been increasing in popularity in the UAE, both at school and in amateur league levels, with over 1,000 people here playing every week. The Emirates Dubai 7s has been supporting the development of the game and this year is set to kick off the Open Women, Open Women Social, Youth, Mixed, Gulf Women and Gulf Youth Aspire invitational tournaments.

Off the field, the Emirates Dubai 7s offers a host of music attractions such as Rugby Rocks, The House, Beats on Two and Frequency on 8. The stages will include live sets from The Cuban Brothers, world renowned DJ duo Gorgon City and megastar Craig David will present TS5 to round off this year’s Festivities.

The Emirates Dubai 7s has grown with the airline’s ongoing support to become a major event on the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series circuit. The long-running Sevens tournament will be staging its 52nd edition in Dubai, and Emirates has been instrumental in growing its international status from when the airline first began its support in 1987, in cooperation with World Rugby.