Today's Edition
BATOOL GHAITH (ABU DHABI)
As the Manchester City Abu Dhabi Cup finished its seventh edition the past weekend, the tournament has grown into a cornerstone of youth football development in the UAE and the wider region.
Simon Hewitt, Head of Football Operations MENA at City Football Group and Tournament Director of the Manchester City Abu Dhabi Cup, said the 2026 edition marks a major milestone for the competition.
"It is the biggest and best youth football tournament in the Middle East, it is an achievement that we are proud of," Hewitt told Aletihad.
He noted that this year's tournament is record-breaking in both scale and format.
"2026 is different to previous editions. For the first time, it is held across three days from Friday to Sunday with this expansion allowing us to welcome more teams and host more matches," he said.
The tournament has more than 244 teams from 18 countries around the world, across age groups from under eight to under 16 years, taking to the pitches at Zayed Sports City.
According to Hewitt, the diversity of participation reflects both the popularity of football and the UAE's growing status as a sporting hub.
"This not only shows how far the tournament has come but showcases how popular football is in the UAE and globally with so many young girls and boys playing the beautiful game with a smile on their faces."
With teams travelling from four continents, Hewitt said Abu Dhabi's infrastructure continues to attract international youth competitions.
"The UAE has a rich history when it comes to hosting sporting events and we are delighted to be among those competitions especially in Abu Dhabi," he said.
The positive feedback constantly received from players and coaches about the facilities proves why UAE is "one of the leading global destinations for sport in the world", he said.
A standout feature of this year's edition is the participation of 44 girls' teams, the highest number in the tournament's history: "Girls' football is going from strength to strength and has become really popular."
The City Football Group places strong emphasis on developing the women's game locally.
"At our City Football Schools programmes in the UAE, there are more than 250 girls playing every week at our venues in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and Ajman with all the sessions delivered by our female coaches," he highlights.
The tournament also offers UAE-based players rare exposure to international competition with teams from all over the world looking forward to add the event to their calendar.
"One player who previously participated and is now playing professionally is Ben Dunbar, who is now with Melbourne City FC," Hewitt revealed. "We hope there will be more players that will follow in his footsteps in the future."
