Dubai, United Arab Emirates: The UAE Winter Sports Federation and Majid Al Futtaim Entertainment’s Ski Dubai signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU), committing to the support of the UAE National Team in the lead-up to its participation in the 2026 Winter Olympics in Cortina, Italy. The agreement comes as part of the UAE Winter Sports Federation’s and Ski Dubai’s commitment to the development of snow sports in the UAE.

As the UAE National Team prepares for the 2026 Winter Olympics, Ski Dubai will serve as a strategic partner as it contributes to the team’s ongoing preparations through camps, resources and more to maximise the team’s readiness in the lead up to the global event.

The agreement was signed in the presence of His Excellency Ghanim Mubarak Al Hajeri, Director-General for the General Authority of Sports and Ignace Lahoud, CEO of Majid Al Futtaim Entertainment, with the participation of His Excellency Hamel Ahmed Al Qubaisi, Vice President of the UAE Winter Sports Federation who signed the agreement on its behalf, and Mohammad El Etri, Managing Director UAE & Oman & Global Snow Majid Al Futtaim Entertainment, who signed it on behalf of Ski Dubai.

The joint signing marks the beginning of a new phase in accelerating the development of snow sports in the UAE, first launched with the establishment of Ski Dubai in 2005. Moreover, the UAE National Olympic and Paralympic Committee alongside the Dubai Sports Council will work together to grow other sports sectors in the country.

Commenting on the importance of the agreement, His Excellency Hamel Al Qubaisi stressed the UAE Winter Sports Federation’s commitment to deploying all efforts to achieve the overarching goal of supporting winter sports, specifically skiing, which has already celebrated several international achievements, including the participation in the Winter Youth Olympics in South Korea.

Mohammad El Etri, Managing Director UAE & Oman & Global Snow Majid Al Futtaim Entertainment highlighted the importance of the partnership since the launch of Ski Dubai, where young Emirati talents have been nurtured to shine and accomplish milestones both in local and international championships, and its continued journey of raising the UAE flag across international sports events.

The UAE National Ski Team will be part of an incredible experience through its participation in the 2026 International Winter Olympics in Cortina, Italy, a global event that will be covered by regional and international media.

The National Team's staff are preparing the team for the upcoming international event, to ensure its performance is nothing short of exceptional, and that the expertise they gain from participating in the event is rewarding and valuable.

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About Majid Al Futtaim 

Founded in 1992, Majid Al Futtaim is a diversified lifestyle conglomerate spanning 16 countries across the Middle East, Africa and Asia. The company employs 46,000 people representing 114 nationalities and welcomes 600 million customers to its shopping malls, communities, retail and entertainment destinations each year. 

With owned assets valued at US$18 billion, Majid Al Futtaim has the highest credit rating (BBB) among privately-held corporates in the region. The company is committed to becoming Net Positive in water and carbon by 2040. 

About Majid Al Futtaim Entertainment

Majid Al Futtaim Entertainment operates the MENA region’s largest cinema exhibitor, VOX Cinemas, which has more than 600 screens. It also has a portfolio of world-class entertainment experiences across the region including Ski Dubai, Ski Egypt, Snow Oman, Dreamscape, Magic Planet, Little Explorers and iFLY Dubai. 

In addition to being the largest cinema exhibitor in the Middle East, Majid Al Futtaim Entertainment also produces premium Arabic content and serves as a major film distributor for both major and independent studios. 

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