AL AIN, 2nd March, 2026 (WAM) — For the consecutive 11th day, the City of Al Ain continues to maintain its presence as an open platform for sports, as the events of “Hafeet Sport Challenge 2026” continue, which is being organised by Al Ain City Municipality in cooperation with Al Ain Club and Abu Dhabi Council, in a scenery that embodies the integration of the national identity with the institutional development, in harmony with the spirit of “Year of the family”.
The event is being held under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Hazza bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Ruler’s Representative in Al Ain Region.
The final match of the “Teba” tournament was attended by Dr. Sultan bin Saif Al Neyadi, Minister of State for Youth Affairs, in a manner that reflects the official attention in reviving popular sports and establishing them under a modern organisational framework.
He emphasised that organising the social sports tournament in the holy month of Ramadan represents a successful vision, which boosts the balance between spirituality and physical activity, as well as contributing in establishing sports as a way of life.
Dr. Al Neyadi noted that the patronage and support of H.H. Sheikh Hazza bin Zayed Al Nahyan for the championship reflect the leadership’s commitment to promoting sports culture and fostering a positive spirit of community engagement within society.
He explained that “Teba” sport represents a model to develop popular games from a heritage activity into an organised competitive sport, he also emphasised that his participation stems from a personal conviction that sport is a way of life and a fundamental tributary to general welfare.
Competitions spread into a variety of facilities within the city, where the tournaments of Ice Hockey, basketball, tug of war, football, volleyball, paddle went on, as well as physical fitness challenges, amid a noteworthy fan’s attendance and a professional organisation that reflects the expansion of participation base.
In the Cricket tournament, the match that brought together AACC Senior with Al Falah XI was over with a rare draw 192 to 192 on the pitch of Al Ain Club Cricket venue, in a match that had its result hanging up until the final bowling, so each team claimed one point while qualification calculations to the semi-final round of competitions remain open.
As for “Al Dhabi team”, they were successful in securing the title of Ice Hockey title after claiming victory over “Shaheen” team with the score of 9-2 at Hili Ice Rink, after they managed to impose their excellence on the forward line of play and scoring 39 shots on target vs 6 shots to its competing team.
In Paddle game, Nasser Al Katibi and Ramy Yasslem Al Jabiri were crowned with the title, while Mohammed Al Mansouri and Mohammed Ahmed Salam assumed the second position.
In Basketball, CST team secured the title of men’s category after claiming victory over Team Tribu Kaliwat with the score of 70-51, while DA Pearl Basketball Academy elite was crowned with juniors’ title after claiming victory over Al Ain Heat team with the score of 77-43.
As events go on with this momentum, the City of Al Ain confirms that when sports are managed with a clear vision and an integrated partnership, it transforms from sporadic competitions into a sustainable social project that brings together all generations, it also boosts the identity and creates a daily impact that goes beyond the boundaries of the venue.
