Abu Dhabi:
The city of sport and spectators
From major international sports events to kayaking in the mangroves, the UAE’s capital is an ideal destination for sports enthusiasts
Abu Dhabi has become a major destination on the international sporting calendar. Flagship events include the annual Formula 1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship, UFC Abu Dhabi Showdown Week, the NBA Abu Dhabi Games series, the Abu Dhabi T10, and the FINA World Swimming Championships.
But sports in Abu Dhabi aren’t confined to spectating. Residents also have easy access to top-tier facilities for participating in a wide range of sports, both within the city and across the emirate’s spectacular natural landscapes.
World-class spectator sport
Abu Dhabi has become a magnet for world-class spectator sports of all stripes, with visitors and residents witnessing some truly historic sporting moments.
Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen’s historic race at Yas Marina Circuit closed out the 2021 Formula 1 season, followed by Verstappen’s consecutive win at this year’s F1 Grand Prix final. In January, Conor McGregor battled Dustin Poirer at the UFC’s ‘Fight Island’ on the man-made Yas Island. In the same month, golfer Thomas Pieters claimed the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship with a dramatic one-shot victory.
New developments look set to bring even more world-class sport to the UAE capital. The Abu Dhabi Sports Council recently announced a major expansion of the Zayed Cricket Stadium. Famous for hosting the Indian Premier League (IPL), the 2021 ICC T20 World Cup, and the Asia Cup, the stadium is also used by 14,000 community athletes weekly. The expansion will bring in five new Olympics sports clubs and increase the number of sports played at the venue to 35.
Abu Dhabi also recently became the Middle East and Asia’s first Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) ‘bike city’. The designation is given to cities that both host international cycling competitions – the first Abu Dhabi World Cycling Tournament is happening later this year – and have invested in top-tier daily cycling infrastructure. There are only twenty other UCI bike cities worldwide.
To celebrate, the emirate launched Bike Abu Dhabi, an enabling platform to enhance the city’s cycling infrastructure and promote the sport. Upcoming projects include the 3,500 capacity Velodrome Hudayriat, and the Abu Dhabi Loop – a 109km cycle path linking key destinations around the city.
These developments demonstrate how Abu Dhabi’s drive to become “one of the leading cities of the world to host sports events,” as H.E. Aref Hamad Al Awani General Secretary, Abu Dhabi Sports Council puts it, is motivated by an overarching mission to promote healthier lifestyles.
A city for sports lovers
Key support for that mission is the newly launched Abu Dhabi 360, an ‘evidence-based whole person wellness program.’ Using the associated smartphone app, residents can access personalized guidance and goal-tracking for every aspect of physical, mental, and social health.
The app also helps residents make the most of the world-class facilities across Abu Dhabi – including the venues that host international tournaments, many of which double as exercise and leisure venues for the community.
One example is the Yas Marina Circuit. When the season is over, motorsports enthusiasts can live out F1 fantasies on the 5.554km track, where speeds of up to 339kph have been recorded.
It’s also open in the mornings and evening for cycling, a unique addition to Abu Dhabi’s impressive bike-riding options. Residents can ride a range of dedicated outdoor cycle tracks, from the relaxed Corniche boardwalk to 30km of stunning desert vistas at the Al Wathba Cycle Track.
Golfers can choose between three championship golf courses, all designed by renowned course designers – Yas Links, Saadiyat Beach Golf Club, and the Abu Dhabi Golf Club.
And with the region’s long history of equestrianism, the city has a range of indoor and outdoor training areas for horse riding and polo: from floodlit fields to beach rides and desert hacking.
Horse riding in the desert is just one example of the unique opportunities afforded residents of, and visitors to, Abu Dhabi’s stunning landscapes.
Unique outdoor experiences
As an archipelago of hundreds of islands, with a sub-tropical climate, sea swimming is an absolute must when in Abu Dhabi. The pristine white sand coast is also an ideal place to paddleboard and sail.
Marinas are scattered throughout Abu Dhabi’s coastline, offering easy access to the year-round sun of the Persian Gulf by yacht or sailboat. Mariners can test their skills at races hosted by local clubs. Lessons are available for newcomers, which also introduce them to the lively sailing social scene.
Closer to nature, The Desert Islands Watersports Centre on Sir Bani Yas Island offers eight kilometers of kayaking in a beautiful wildlife sanctuary. For truly spectacular boating, kayak tours are available throughout the lush mangrove forests that intertwine the islands of Abu Dhabi.
Families can hike, bike, horse- or camel-ride the nine-kilometer Jebel Hafit Desert Park – a 90-minute drive from the city to the garden city of Al Ain. And the Qasr Al Sarab Desert resort offers fat bike riding over the sand dunes surrounding the city.
Something for everyone
Promoting an active, healthy lifestyle is a key pillar of Abu Dhabi Government’s strategy, says Al Awani, to “build a sense of community and social cohesion, as well as promote healthy lifestyles.”
Pursuing this goal has made the Emirati capital a truly world-class sporting destination, with something for everyone interested in sports – whether watching or participating.
Discover how you can
thrive in Abu Dhabi.