Gaelic Football debuts at Emirates Dubai 7s as registration opens

Dubai: Gaelic Football will make its Emirates Dubai 7s debut this November, with registration now open for the new tournament alongside WODON3 fitness and Rebound padel competitions.

Running from Friday 27 to Sunday 29 November at The Sevens Stadium, Gaelic Football will add a new international sporting community to the Emirates Dubai 7s Festival, with two men’s and two women’s tournaments taking place across the weekend.

In partnership with the Middle East Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA), the new competition will bring one of Ireland’s most popular sports to the festival for the first time, showcasing the UAE’s established Gaelic Games community while expanding the Emirates Dubai 7s sporting programme.

Embracing the 7s format, traditional 15-a-side Gaelic Football will be adapted for the festival, with teams of seven playing two seven-minute halves. Squads will feature 10 players plus two management representatives, with rolling substitutions allowed throughout each game.

The inaugural competition will feature four tournaments:

• Gaelic Football Elite Men (GFEM)

• Gaelic Football Elite Women (GFEW)

• Gaelic Football Open Men (GFOM)

• Gaelic Football Open Women (GFOW)

The invitational tournament will be open to teams, players and management affiliated with Middle East GAA, with a number of rules introduced to create a faster-paced style of play.

Teams will have 30 seconds to advance out of their own half, while a halfway rule will prevent the ball from being played backwards once a team has crossed the halfway line.

Registration also opens today for WODON3, the Emirates Dubai 7s fitness competition, and Rebound, the festival’s padel tournament.

WODON3 will take place on Pitch 3, with teams of four, two male and two female athletes, competing across Super Social, Open and Elite divisions in workouts testing strength, power, speed, endurance and teamwork.

The Elite final will take place on Pitch 1 between HSBC SVNS matches on Saturday 28 November, giving competitors the chance to perform in front of crowds of up to 20,000.

Rebound, delivered in partnership with Viya Padel, returns to five purpose-built courts and will feature Beginner Social, Open Social, Open Competitive and Corporate categories, welcoming players of all abilities across the three-day festival.

With Gaelic Football joining rugby, cricket, netball, fitness and padel at The Sevens Stadium, the expanded sporting programme continues to bring more communities together at the Emirates Dubai 7s.

Player entry for WODON3 and Rebound includes full weekend access to the festival, giving amateur athletes the opportunity to compete in their chosen sport alongside world-class rugby, live entertainment and thousands of fans.

Registration for Gaelic Football, WODON3 and Rebound opens at 12pm on Monday 17 August 2026, with full tournament information and registration details available at www.emiratesdubai7s.com.