Dubai Boosts its Endurance Sport Credentials

Dubai has signalled its growing ambition in the endurance sports sector, with the two high profile announcements: a new sponsor for its flagship marathon and the launch of a pioneering women-only triathlon event. Global running brand ASICS has signed a landmark multi-year deal to become the Official Footwear and Apparel Partner, Presenting Partner and Sponsor of the Dubai Marathon for 2026, 2027 and 2028, coinciding with the race’s 25th edition on 1 February 2026. The deal underscores ASICS’s commitment to the Middle East running community and brings its global expertise in race-support, pre-race preparation and athlete recovery into Dubai’s marquee road race.

At the same time, the Dubai Sports Council (in cooperation with the UAE Triathlon Federation and under the auspices of World Triathlon) has revealed that the first-ever all-women triathlon-world-cup event, the Women’s Triathlon World Cup – Dubai 2025, will take place on 7 December 2025 at Dubai Islands. The event will comprise professional, sprint and super-sprint formats, with distances of 750 m swim/20 km cycle/5 km run for the Professional and Sprint categories, and 400 m/10 km/2.5 km for the Super Sprint and age-group athletes.

These announcements reinforce Dubai’s positioning as a major hub for endurance sports, both for global touring events and women-focused competition. The ASICS partnership ensures that the Dubai Marathon continues to attract elite international fields and strong grassroots participation, benefiting from enhanced brand activation, athlete services and performance innovation. Meanwhile, the women-only triathlon world cup represents a strategic move to diversify event formats, elevate female competition and tap into triathlon’s growing global appeal.

The marathon deal highlights the value of long-term brand alignment with a city’s flagship endurance event, while the women’s triathlon initiative demonstrates how hosting gender-specific world-class competitions can support inclusion agendas and expand market reach. Dubai’s infrastructure, international connectivity and event-hosting track record combine to make these new ventures highly credible.

As the 2026 marathon edition approaches and the inaugural women’s triathlon world cup launches in December, the city’s endurance sport calendar is set to become richer and more globally visible. For brands, rights-holders and event planners looking for growth markets, Dubai is reinforcing its sporting credentials - showing it can deliver both mass participation legacy events and elite-level innovation in women’s sport.