The UAE’s first global professional sumo games are coming to Abu Dhabi

Japan’s historic sport of sumo is making its debut in the UAE All-Star Sumo Competition, hosted by the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi). Taking place at Abu Dhabi’s Space42 Arena on September 26, the competition will see 9 elite rikishi from Japan, Mongolia and Egypt will compete across 36 bouts, bringing together athletes with world championship titles, Emperor’s Cup honours and decades of professional competition. For spectators, the event will extend beyond the bouts themselves, with a formal ring-entering procession and traditional pre-bout rituals, ensuring guests experience elements of sumo’s centuries-old traditions alongside the competition. Mohamad Yehya, General Manager of Space42 Arena said the event will gives audiences in the UAE an opportunity to witness the legacy of sumo and “discover the traditions and atmosphere that make the sport so distinctive.” A post shared by Space42 Arena (@space42arena) Ichi of Japan headlines the field as a winner of the Emperor’s Cup, the highest honour in Japanese professional sumo, alongside compatriot Hiroki, among the largest active competitors in the sport. The event will also showcase sumo’s growing international reach, with competitors from Japan, Mongolia and Egypt. Mongolia’s Mendee, a junior World Sumo and International Sumo Champion, and Egypt’s internationally decorated Ramy El-Gazar join professional rikishi from Japan and Mongolia. Beyond the bouts themselves, audiences will experience the rituals that have shaped sumo for centuries. From the dohyo, the sacred ring where matches take place, to the dohyō-iri ring-entering ceremony, foot-stamping, salt-throwing and other pre-bout rituals, every movement reflects the sport’s deep-rooted traditions of discipline, purification and respect. The event will give audiences the opportunity to experience a sporting tradition rarely seen in the region.