Under the patronage of Her Highness Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Al Nahyan, Chairwoman of the General Women's Union, President of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood, Supreme Chairwoman of the Family Development Foundation and Mother of the Nation, and under the directives of Sheikha Fatima Bint Hazza bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chairwoman of the Board of Directors of the Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Sports Academy and Chairwoman of Abu Dhabi Ladies Club and Al Ain Ladies Club, the 1st Fatima Bint Mubarak Academy GCC Basketball Cup for Ladies, will take place from 22-26 August 2024 in Abu Dhabi.
The tournament will feature four GCC teams: Kuwait’s Al-Qurain, Oman’s Salalah Club, Qatar’s Al-Gharafa Club, and the host team representing Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Sports Academy.
The organising committee for the inaugural basketball tournament has revealed that extensive preparations have been made for a grand opening ceremony for the competition, which will include several surprises for basketball enthusiasts and visitors, and the presence of high-profile figures from the UAE and GCC countries.
The tournament will be the first Gulf championship organised at the new headquarters of the Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Sports Academy in Abu Dhabi, recently inaugurated with the highest standards of security, safety, and privacy for all women, especially female athletes. The competition will coincide with celebrations ahead of Emirati Women's Day, held annually on 28 August, with the qualifying rounds taking place from 22-24 August 2024, followed by the matches to determine the top four positions on 25-26 August 2024. The matches will run from 5pm to 8pm.
His Excellency Talal Al Hashemi, Board Member of the Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Sports Academy, said: "We are pleased to announce the readiness of the Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Sports Academy to welcome our esteemed guests to the grand opening of 1st Fatima Bint Mubarak Academy GCC Basketball Cup for Ladies. This tournament symbolises the beginning of a new and distinctive chapter in women’s sports and basketball in particular. We are prepared to host all our Gulf delegates, and this event will be a wonderful opportunity to enhance sports and cultural bonds among us. We have worked hard to prepare the academy to be an ideal platform for supporting and promoting female sports talents, and we are confident that organising this tournament will mark the beginning of a series of impressive successes that will contribute to advancing women’s sports in the region."
