Photo : Dubai government media office

Dubai is set to host the first-ever Arab Classic Baseball Tournament, a historic event for the Middle East, from November 7 to 10, 2024, at the Sevens Stadium. The tournament will feature eight national teams: the UAE, Saudi Arabia, India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Nepal, Palestine, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan. Organized by Baseball United in collaboration with the Dubai Sports Council (DSC), the Department of Economy & Tourism, and the Emirates Cricket Board, the event was announced during a press conference held at the DSC headquarters. The press conference was attended by key figures, including Ali Omar Al-Baloushi, Director of the Sports Events Department at DSC, Yacoub Mohammed, Senior Manager of Dubai Fitness Challenge, and Kash Sheikh, Board Chairman and CEO of Baseball United. Baseball legends, including Mariano Rivera, a five-time world champion with the New York Yankees, were also present.

The tournament will kick off on November 7, with the UAE National Team facing India at 1:00 PM. The opening match will see Afghanistan compete against India at 8:00 AM, followed by matches between Pakistan and Bangladesh at 10:30 AM, and Saudi Arabia versus Sri Lanka at 3:30 PM. In the evening, the UAE will take on Pakistan at 8:30 PM, following matches between Sri Lanka and Saudi Arabia, and Nepal against Palestine.

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A state-of-the-art stadium, the first of its kind in the region, has been built to host this landmark tournament. In addition to the Arab Classic, the stadium will also host the Baseball United Cup from February 22 to March 1, 2025, with teams such as Mumbai Cobras, Karachi Monarchs, Mid East Falcons, and the Emirati Arabia Wolves. Furthermore, the inaugural Baseball United League, featuring five teams and 33 matches, will be held from October 23 to November 23, 2025, culminating in the United Series, a three-match set to determine the league champion.

The full schedule for the Arab Classic Baseball Tournament includes matches from November 7 to November 10, with the quarter-finals, semi-finals, and final matches taking place on Sunday, November 10. This event is expected to bring significant attention to baseball in the region, while fostering closer ties between the participating countries.