Dubai Sports Council has formally opened the evaluation cycle for the third edition of the Hamdan bin Mohammed Order of Merit for Sports Education School. The prestigious recognition is designed to push every public and private school in Dubai to identify sporting talent early, strengthen training infrastructure and embed physical activity as a core part of student development and character building.
The award forms part of the Sports Innovation Lab and is guided by the vision of Dubai’s leadership. Participation this year carries no classification barriers. Every public and private school in the emirate may enter, creating equal opportunity and encouraging institutions that have not previously taken part to join.
His Highness Sheikh Mansoor bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Dubai Sports Council, welcomed the launch. He stated that the initiative reflects the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to inspire sporting champions in every school and to build the broad base of the pyramid that leads to excellence at the highest level.
Sheikh Mansoor described the third edition as the most comprehensive so far. It allows all schools across Dubai to compete for the award that carries the name of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. Winners will be chosen on the strength of sustained efforts and activities throughout the year that advance sport inside educational institutions. He added that the programme will give greater support to schools in identifying and developing talent, further reinforcing Dubai’s position as a leading destination for sports events and athletic development across disciplines.
His Excellency Khalfan Belhoul, Vice Chairman of the Dubai Sports Council, underlined the strategic role of the award. He said the Hamdan bin Mohammed Order of Merit for Sports Education School is a pivotal pillar within Dubai’s broader strategy to expand community sports participation under the Dubai Sports Sector Strategic Plan 2033. Real investment, he noted, lies in building a healthier and more cohesive society that begins with the sporting environment at school level. The initiative is one of the basic pillars of the Council’s policy to discover talent and help the Dubai Government consolidate the emirate’s standing as a global centre for attracting and developing talent.
To support the goal of nurturing exceptional athletes, sports directors at participating schools will collect data on talented students and share it exclusively with the Dubai Sports Council. This information will form the nucleus of an integrated emirate-wide database of sporting talent that can inform future planning and development programmes.
The evaluation system is fully electronic to ensure accuracy and transparency. Assessment rests on five weighted axes. Sports Excellence carries 40 per cent of the total score. Culture of Health and Well-Being accounts for 30 per cent. Education, Integration and Awareness is weighted at 15 per cent. Sports and Recreation Facilities receive 10 per cent, and Utilisation of Technology and Innovation makes up the final 5 per cent.
From the full list of applicants, ten schools will be shortlisted for the final stage. These finalists will receive field visits and detailed evaluations. All of them will be awarded certificates of appreciation together with individual reports that highlight strengths and areas for further improvement.
An integrated timetable has been set. Awareness workshops for public and private schools will run through November 2026. The electronic platform will open in the same month for applications and initial interviews. Nominations close on 1 February 2027. Final review begins on 1 March 2027, followed by field visits to the ten shortlisted schools starting 8 March 2027. The process concludes on 15 April 2027 with the selection and honouring of two winning schools one from the public sector and one from the private sector.
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Beyond the competitive element, the Order of Merit seeks to raise the health, vitality and active participation of students, foster teamwork and healthy behaviours inside schools, and create safer, more supportive learning environments. It also aims to improve sports programmes and facilities so that promising young athletes have the conditions they need to develop their skills and to compete in a spirit of fairness and mutual respect.
The evaluation cycle places particular emphasis on leadership values consistent with those of the Dubai Sports Council, including peace, tolerance and sportsmanship, while encouraging schools to educate students against any form of sports fanaticism.
By opening the third edition to every school without restriction, Dubai Sports Council is expanding the foundation of school sport across the emirate. The initiative links classroom education with physical development, builds a structured talent pipeline and aligns daily school practice with the longer-term goals of the Dubai Sports Sector Strategic Plan 2033. Schools that take part will not only compete for recognition but will also receive structured feedback that can strengthen their sports provision for years to come.
