Etihad becomes Official Airline and strategic partner of UAE Wrestling Federation

Abu Dhabi-based Etihad Airways has signed a memorandum of understanding with the UAE Wrestling Federation to support athlete development, secure naming rights for the federation’s main training centre and promote female participation in the sport.

Etihad Airways, the UAE’s national carrier headquartered in Abu Dhabi, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the UAE Wrestling Federation to become its Official Airline and Strategic Partner. The agreement, announced on the sidelines of the Arabian Travel Market at Dubai World Trade Centre, commits the carrier to supporting the federation’s programmes across elite competition, talent development and community engagement.

Partnership scope

Under the MoU, Etihad will back the federation’s activities and athlete development initiatives, while creating new avenues to connect fans and local communities through competitions, digital platforms and grassroots work. The airline will also take naming rights for the federation’s primary training centre, a move designed to strengthen long‑term support for facilities used by national squads.

Focus on women and pathways

A particular emphasis of the collaboration is the advancement of women’s wrestling in the UAE. Etihad has pledged strategic support for programmes intended to increase female participation and to build pathways for emerging women athletes, an objective the federation has identified as central to the sport’s growth nationally.

Signatories and intent

The agreement was signed on behalf of the UAE Wrestling Federation by Sheikh Hamdan bin Saeed bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan, Secretary‑General of the Federation, and on behalf of Etihad by Arik De, Chief Revenue and Commercial Officer. Both parties described the partnership as a step towards strengthening co‑operation between national organisations and expanding opportunities for athletes to compete domestically and internationally.

Etihad framed the deal as part of its broader commitment to supporting sport across the UAE and connecting communities and opportunities within the country and abroad. The federation said the arrangement would help create further opportunities for athletes and contribute to the continued development of wrestling in the Emirates.

The MoU aligns with ongoing efforts to position the UAE as a leading destination for sporting events and to enhance collaboration between public‑facing national institutions and sporting bodies.

Source: WAM