# FIFA and Dubai Sports Council sign partnership agreement for new awards to celebrate the best in football annually

- Link: https://exclusiveaccess.net/fifa-and-dubai-sports-council-sign-partnership-agreement-for-new-awards-to-celebrate-the-best-in-football-annually/
- Published: 2025-12-29T20:06:06-05:00
- Author: EAN

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FIFA and Dubai Sports Council sign partnership agreement for new awards to celebrate
the best in football annually

Memorandum of Understanding signed between FIFA and the Dubai Sports Council (DSC)
at World Sports Summit in Dubai
 Annual event to be the only official global awards
that honours best performers on and off the pitch First awards ceremony to take 
place in 2026

In the presence of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum,
Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence of the United
Arab Emirates, and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai, FIFA President Gianni
Infantino and His Highness Sheikh Mansoor bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman
of the Dubai Sports Council (DSC), have announced the launch of a new annual world
football awards event in Dubai.

Effective from 2026, the event will become the only official annual FIFA awards 
ceremony that gathers the world’s most influential football figures, celebrating
the best players, teams, and achievements of the beautiful game for the previous
year.

The announcement was made during the World Sports Summit which is underway in Dubai,
with FIFA and the DSC signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to confirm the
new partnership.

“We are delighted to join forces with Dubai, a city that lives and breathes football,
as we develop this world-class event,” said FIFA President Gianni Infantino. “These
world football awards will not just be an award ceremony, but an innovative way 
to celebrate football and honour the official top performers of the year both on
and off the pitch.”

His Highness Sheikh Mansoor bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of the 
DSC, said: “The Dubai Sports Council enjoys a strong partnership with FIFA, which
has resulted in numerous initiatives announced by Gianni Infantino from Dubai in
recent times, impacting the global football landscape.

“We are pleased to announce this new agreement, which underscores the continued 
cooperation between us and reflects Dubai’s prominent position on the global football
map. It also highlights Dubai’s role in developing the game worldwide and shaping
a brighter future for the world’s biggest and most popular sport through launching
pioneering initiatives, honouring outstanding individuals and hosting major events,”
he added.

“Dubai is committed to supporting the development of the global sports system in
general, and football in particular, and possesses all the necessary elements for
success in fulfilling this role optimally, ensuring a significant Emirati impact
on global sports.”

Further information on the award categories, the nomination and voting systems and
the event dates will follow in due course.