His Highness Sheikh Mansoor bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the President of the UAE Olympic Committee, was present at the commencement ceremony of the 4th GCC Games held in Doha, Qatar, on Sunday.
Running from May 11 to May 22, 2026, the tournament showcases athletes from the Gulf Cooperation Council nations.
The UAE delegation comprises 164 athletes competing across 17 sports, with a breakdown of 115 men and 49 women.
During the opening ceremony, Sheikh Mansoor emphasized how sports promote unity among Gulf countries. He expressed pride in the UAE's participation in this prestigious regional event, commending the athletes for embodying the nation's aspirations and leadership’s commitment to supporting sports.
Sheikh Mansoor extended best wishes to all teams and acknowledged Qatar’s reputation for successfully hosting significant sporting events that shine a light on the Gulf region globally.
Among those accompanying him were His Excellency Dr. Ahmad Belhoul Al Falasi, Minister of Sports and Vice President of the UAE Olympic Committee; along with His Excellencies Faris Mohammed Al Mutawa, Ghanem Mubarak Al Hajeri, and Rashid Abdulrahman Al Ali.
Upon reaching Doha, the UAE delegation was welcomed by His Excellency Jassim bin Rashid Al Buainain.
The opening ceremony was held at Al Shaqab Indoor Arena, featuring cultural displays that celebrated both Qatari and Gulf traditions. A notable operetta named “One Gulf... One Heart” was also performed during the event.
During the festivities, the UAE flag was ceremoniously carried by Sheikh Ali Jamal bin Nasser Al Nuaimi from the UAE equestrian team alongside Shouq Al Hammadi from the UAE taekwondo team.
The UAE athletes are set to compete in sports like table tennis, equestrian, swimming, bowling, billiards, boxing, fencing, shooting, 3x3 basketball, taekwondo, athletics, handball, snooker, volleyball, archery, padel tennis, and karate.
Events will unfold across 10 venues in Doha, including Aspire Dome, Qatar Sports Club, Lusail Shooting Range, Qatar Bowling Federation Hall, and Duhail Sports Hall.
Since the inception of the GCC Games in Bahrain in 2011, the UAE has seen varying success: finishing fourth with 26 medals that year, second with a total of 73 medals in Dammam, Saudi Arabia in 2015, and third with 50 medals during the 2022 edition in Kuwait.
In this ongoing edition, the UAE volleyball team is set to commence its endeavors against Qatar on May 16, while also facing Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Oman in the following matches.
The UAE handball squad is poised to kick off their campaign against Saudi Arabia on May 15.
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