Fatima Bint Mubarak Women Sports Award Attracts Record 509 Applications
The prestigious award's tenth edition has received unprecedented interest from across the Arab world, with nominations nearly doubling compared to the previous year.
The Fatima Bint Mubarak Women Sports Award has concluded its nominations phase for its tenth edition, welcoming an extraordinary 509 applications from thirteen Arab nations. This remarkable response represents a ninety-six percent increase in submissions compared to the preceding edition, reflecting the Award’s growing prominence as a beacon of recognition for women’s sporting excellence across the region.
Held under the distinguished patronage of Her Highness Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, the Mother of the Nation and Chairwoman of the General Women’s Union, the Award continues to celebrate and elevate women’s contributions to sport. The initiative benefits from the guidance and dedicated oversight of Sheikha Fatima bint Hazza bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chairwoman of the Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Sports Academy and President of Abu Dhabi and Al Ain Ladies Clubs.
The United Arab Emirates demonstrated exceptional engagement in this edition, submitting two hundred and twenty-four applications from within its borders. The categories have attracted compelling levels of competition, with the Best Arab Female Athlete category receiving one hundred and ten entries, whilst the Best Emirati Female Athlete category drew eighty-eight nominations.
Aref Hamad Al Awani, Secretary-General of the Abu Dhabi Sports Council, acknowledged the significance of this surge in participation. He observed that the substantial increase in applications exemplifies the Award’s expanding influence and prestige throughout the Arab world, whilst simultaneously strengthening the calibre of competition across all recognised categories. The administrative phases will now progress to comprehensive evaluation and judging procedures, through which outstanding athletic achievements and substantial contributions to women’s sports shall be appropriately recognised.
The tenth edition will distribute total prize value amounting to AED2.2 million across an expansive framework of nine individual and team categories. These encompass Best Arab Female Athlete, Best Emirati Female Athlete, Best Paralympic Female Athlete, Best Young Female Athlete, Best Coach, Best Sports Media Influencer, Best Sports Family, Best Female Athlete in Non-Olympic Sports, and Best Team. Additionally, a distinguished special award will honour the Arab Sports Personality of the Year, selected by the judging committee in recognition of an Arab figure whose contributions have demonstrably advanced and supported women’s sports throughout the region.
The awards ceremony for this momentous tenth edition is scheduled for the eleventh of November, twenty twenty-six.
Source: WAM