DUBAI, 13th January, 2026 (WAM) -- The Higher Organising Committee of the Dubai International Basketball Championship has announced the preliminary list of teams for the 35th edition of the tournament, which will be held from 23rd January to 1st February at Rashid bin Hamdan Hall, Al Nasr Club, in Dubai.

The announcement was made during the committee's meeting held today, chaired by Abdulatif Nasser Al Fardan, President of the UAE Basketball Federation and Chairman of the Higher Organising Committee, and attended by committee members at the National Olympic Committee headquarters.

The current list includes eight teams: the UAE National Team, Al Nasr Club, Beirut of Lebanon, Al Karamah and Al Fidaa of Syria, Al Ahli Tripoli of Libya, Zamboanga of the Philippines, and Club Africain of Tunisia. The door remains open for 48 hours for additional teams, as several clubs have expressed interest but have yet to complete their participation confirmations.

Al Fardan said the UAE National Team's participation aims to benefit from high-level competition in an international tournament listed on the FIBA calendar, noting that the event represents an important part of the team's preparation programme for the Gulf Games scheduled to be held in Qatar in May.

He added that the championship, one of the oldest basketball tournaments in the region, has continued to strengthen its technical and organisational status at both Arab and regional levels over 35 editions, becoming closely associated with Dubai as a leading regional and international sports destination.

The committee chairman also thanked Major General (Ret.) Ismail Al Gergawi, President of the Arab Basketball Federation and former President of the UAE Basketball Federation, in recognition of his significant role in supporting and developing the championship, noting that the federation has decided to grant him the honorary presidency in appreciation of his long-standing contributions.

Al Fardan further praised the ongoing support of the Ministry of Sports, the National Olympic Committee and the Dubai Sports Council, stressing that their backing has contributed to the championship's continued success and development, making it a key landmark in UAE basketball.

The Higher Organising Committee also approved the formation of the working committees for the tournament, appointing Abdullah Hassan Mahyoob as Vice Chairman and Head of the Referees and Statistics Committee, Salem Al Mutawa as Tournament Director, Hamdan Al Zaabi as Head of the Media Committee, Ali Al Ameri as Head of the Technical Committee, Ibrahim Hattawi as Head of the Public Relations and Events Committee, and Ghaliya Al Mazmi in charge of Protocol.

During the meeting, the committee reviewed readiness reports for Rashid bin Hamdan Hall at Al Nasr Club, as well as organisational arrangements related to receiving the participating teams, transportation plans, accommodation, and training venues, to ensure the best technical and organisational conditions for the successful staging of the 35th edition of the championship.