The 2026-2027 edition of the Dubai Open for Basketball Academies (DOBA) Championship has officially kicked off, marking the third consecutive year the event has been organized by the Dubai Sports Council. Part of the broader ‘Dubai Sports Sector Strategic Plan 2033’, the tournament is designed to discover and refine young sporting talent. This season, the championship—also known as the DOBA Youth Basketball League—is being held in collaboration with the UAE Basketball Federation, alongside operational partners Sports Mania and Sport360. This mega event provides a competitive environment that helps identify promising players, refine their skills while preparing them for higher levels of competition and sporting achievement, also called the DOBA Youth Basketball League. This edition of the tournament features the launch of a number of initiatives and organisational and technical developments.
The competition’s opening phase is scheduled to run until December 13, encompassing 321 matches. More than 1,800 athletes are competing across 23 different sports entities. Games are currently hosted at two primary locations: the Citizen School in Al Satwa and the Al Ittihad Private School in Jumeirah.
A notable feature of this year’s tournament is the inclusion of several local clubs, such as Al Nasr, Al Wasl, Shabab Al Ahli, Sharjah Club, Sharjah Women’s Club, and Khor Fakkan Club. These teams are competing alongside 17 specialized private academies, including the NBA School, JAM Academy, Champs Academy, Dubai Basketball Academy, Starpoint Academy, OBS Academy, Triple Threat, MBBA, Grind Academy, Wildcats, ID Knights Academy, Jazz Academy, Get the Kids Fit Academy, JAM Abu Dhabi, Champs Jebel Ali, Dubai Tribe, and Wise Academy.
To enhance the tournament experience, organizers have introduced a dedicated smart application. This digital tool is the first of its kind for the event, offering participants and fans real-time access to match schedules, live scores, team standings, and comprehensive player statistics, as well as multimedia coverage. Furthermore, the league has adopted updated technical regulations from the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) in coordination with the UAE Basketball Federation to align local matches with international standards for players and officials. And ensure that players, coaches and technical staff are familiar with the latest international standards adopted by the game, these changes are meant to raise the technical level of referees and matches.
The integration of Emirati clubs with private academies is a strategic highlight of this season. By facilitating consistent, high-level competition, organizers aim to bolster the growth of basketball within the UAE while ensuring young athletes receive ongoing development opportunities throughout the season. The DOBA Championship continues to serve as a critical framework for nurturing local talent and elevating the professional standards of the sport across the region.
