Abu Dhabi’s Premier Jiu-Jitsu Championship Opens with Global Gathering of 10,000 Athletes

The 18th Abu Dhabi World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship welcomes competitors from 130 countries to Mubadala Arena, reinforcing the emirate's position as the sport's international epicentre.

When Sheikh Khalifa bin Tahnoon bin Mohammed Al Nahyan, Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Court, stepped into Mubadala Arena on the opening day of the championship, he carried with him the weight of two decades of institutional commitment to a sport that has come to define Abu Dhabi’s global standing. The 18th Abu Dhabi World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship, held under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, is a gathering unlike any other: more than 10,000 athletes representing 130 nations, competing across amateur, youth, professional and masters divisions through to November 21.

The championship’s trajectory reveals something profound about long-term vision and sustained investment. Since its inception in 2009, the competition has grown from a regional endeavour into one of the international jiu-jitsu calendar’s most significant events. Each year brings expanded competition categories, deeper international participation and the kind of organisational refinement that turns an event into an institution. On the opening day, Sheikh Khalifa bin Tahnoon observed the amateur division competitions and presented awards to winners, a gesture that speaks to the leadership’s personal engagement with the sport’s development.

Beyond the medals and rankings lies a subtler narrative about the values the championship embodies. Abdulmunem Alsayed Mohamed Alhashmi, Chairman of the UAE Jiu-Jitsu Federation and President of the Ju-Jitsu Asian Union, spoke of the championship’s role in cultivating respect, discipline and fair competition among young athletes. The venue itself, Mubadala Arena, anchors these competitions within Abu Dhabi’s broader infrastructure of sporting excellence, a facility designed to accommodate the world’s most demanding athletic events.

The championship’s schedule unfolds across distinct phases. Amateur and para jiu-jitsu competitions continue through November 10, followed by youth divisions from November 11 to 13. The Abu Dhabi World Jiu-Jitsu Festival, a celebration of the sport’s cultural dimensions, takes place from November 14 to 16. Masters’ competitions follow on November 17 and 18, with the professional divisions, widely regarded as the championship’s pinnacle, running from November 19 to 21. The Abu Dhabi World Jiu-Jitsu Awards ceremony concludes the event on November 22.

The championship’s opening was marked by the presence of government officials, sports administrators and federation leaders, a gathering that underscores jiu-jitsu’s integration into Abu Dhabi’s institutional fabric. Sheikh Hamdan bin Sultan bin Hamdan Al Nahyan, Director of International Events at the Abu Dhabi Sports Council, and Mohamed Salem Al Dhaheri, Vice Chairman of the UAE Jiu-Jitsu Federation, joined Alhashmi in overseeing the event’s execution. The championship also honoured UAE athletes Asma Al Hosani and Hind Alhashmi, recipients of the Fatima Bint Mubarak Women Sports Awards, recognising their contributions to the sport at regional and international levels.

What it means for Abu Dhabi

The championship represents a defining moment in Abu Dhabi’s evolution as a global sporting hub. The presence of 10,000 athletes and officials from 130 countries transforms the city into a temporary capital of jiu-jitsu, bringing international recognition and demonstrating the emirate’s capacity to host world-class sporting events. This influx of global talent and expertise strengthens Abu Dhabi’s reputation and creates lasting connections with international sporting communities.

For Abu Dhabi’s young athletes and emerging talent, the championship offers an invaluable platform. The structured progression from amateur through youth to professional divisions ensures that aspiring competitors can develop their skills in an environment benchmarked against the world’s finest athletes. Alhashmi’s commitment to improving competition standards and organisation each year reflects a philosophy of continuous enhancement that benefits the entire sporting ecosystem, nurturing the next generation of champions who will represent the UAE internationally.

Source: WAM

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