
Dubai Basketball to tackle Partizan Mozzart Bet at Coca-Cola-Arena
Dubai Basketball are set to take on Partizan Mozzart Bet on March 17 at the Coca-Cola Arena. The game promises to deliver an exciting match-up as Dubai's first international professional sports franchise faces one of Europe's most renowned basketball teams.
Dubai Basketball is an ambitious sports project that began in 2024 with a vision is to be recognised as a leader in all aspects of the sport, and looks to regularly participate in the most prestigious club competitions in Europe.
They aim to elevate the standards of sports organisations both in the region and across Europe, starting with the ABA League and extending through the European competitions and beyond.
Partizan Mozzart Bet has a long and respected history in European basketball, having been rounded in 1945. The club gained prominence in the late '70s with consecutive Korac Cup titles and achieved its greatest success in 1992, winning the EuroLeague under Coach Zeljko Obradovic.
With a strong fan base and commitment to developing talent, Partizan continues to be a key player in European basketball, highlighted by their 2023 ABA League Championship victory.
Doors Open at 6:00 p.m. and the game starts at 7:30 p.m. (UAE Time). Any patron, below 16 years of age must be accompanied by an adult/parent aged 18 or over. Entry patrons (including children above 12 months) require a valid ticket to enter Coca-Cola Arena.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Dubai Eye
5 hours ago
- Dubai Eye
Dubai Basketball wraps up historic debut season following knockout in Belgrade
Despite taking an early lead, Dubai Basketball suffered a 114-97 defeat at the third and final game of the semi-finals at Belgrade Arena against Serbian powerhouse Partizan. Davis Bertans, Klemen Prepelić, and Nate Mason each sank three-pointers within the first four minutes giving Dubai Basketball an early lead, but by the end of the first quarter, Dubai had stormed ahead with a commanding nine-point lead. However, the momentum began to shift in the second quarter. With the backing of a packed home crowd, Partizan tightened their defence and gradually closed the gap, reducing Dubai's lead to just a single point by the end of the third quarter. As the game progressed into the third and fourth quarters, Partizan demonstrated why they are seven-time ABA League champions. Although they surged ahead, Dubai refused to go down without a fight, repeatedly equalising the score and keeping the contest wide open. In the final quarter, Partizan pulled away, scoring an impressive 28 points that widened the gap to 17 and ultimately secured their place in the finals. Dubai, however, walked away with their heads held high, having challenged one of Europe's top basketball teams to the very end. "Throughout the season, we played good basketball. We claimed major wins – including victories over some of the league's giants – and today, we pushed Partizan into a serious battle for a place in the finals," said Dubai Basketball's head coach Jurica Golemac. This season has been nothing short of historic for the first-ever sports club in the country representing the city of Dubai. It has laid the foundation for a legacy in the making, one that is not only transforming the sporting landscape in the country but also supporting the region's presence on the global basketball stage. Dubai Basketball officially set out on their journey in the Adriatic League in September – competing against some of the most prolific teams in Europe. From beating reigning champions Red Star in their opening game to being one of the only teams in the league to beat Partizan twice in their home court, the 2024/25 season was packed with milestones. Reflecting on the season, Golemac said: "We must be satisfied. This was our first season, with 13 new players in total. We were fortunate to have selected not only top-quality athletes but also exceptional people who made this journey smoother." He added that "plans for the future are already underway. In fact, they've been in motion throughout the season. Analysis, planning – it all continues. As they say, the off-season begins tomorrow, and so does our preparation for what comes next". Dubai Basketball's debut has shown that a newly established team can rise to challenge Europe's elite — creating something monumental for the sport, not just in the country, but across the Middle East.


Al Etihad
6 hours ago
- Al Etihad
Tourism spending in Middle East projected to reach $350 billion by 2030
3 June 2025 18:38 DUBAI (ALETIHAD)A new report compiled by Tourism Economics on behalf of Arabian Travel Market (ATM) predicts that by 2030, total tourism spend in the Middle East will be 50% higher than in 2024, generating expenditure of nearly $350 billion. The ATM Travel Trends Report 2025 reveals insights into the trends and transformations redefining the travel sector in the Middle East and worldwide, including the surge of business travel, the growth of the luxury segment, and the boom in regional sports tourism. The report highlights exceptional growth in Middle East travel spending, projected to exceed 2019 levels by 54% this year and anticipates an annual growth rate of over 7% from 2025 to 2030. Danielle Curtis, Exhibition Director ME, Arabian Travel Market, said: 'The report's findings confirm that travel growth in the Middle East is incredibly strong, with annual growth averaging more than 7% through 2030. Bold national visions, game-changing developments, and enhanced connectivity are some of the key factors driving this momentum.'Underscoring the Middle East's strong position in global tourism, inbound travel from outside the region is set to grow by 13% annually up to 2030 and outbound business travel forecast to surge at 9% per year. European source markets make up 50% of all leisure travel to the Middle East, with India and the United Kingdom the top two inbound international leisure source markets. China is also a critical market, ranking third by value with leisure spend expected to increase by 130% by 2030. Furthermore, tourism nights by visitors from Asia Pacific and Africa, are expected to increase by over 100% between now and 2030. For outbound travel, Saudi Arabia and Egypt dominate regional flows, while Thailand and the United Kingdom lead as preferred long-haul destinations. The four largest airlines in the region – Emirates, Etihad Airways, Qatar Airways and Saudia – have placed nearly 780 aircraft orders with Boeing and Airbus, representing major expansions to their existing fleets. This significant investment underscores the region's strategic focus on becoming a global aviation hub and meeting rising passenger demand over the coming decade. The Middle East's rise as a global hub for business events is another key highlight of the report, which states that spending on Middle East business travel will grow 1.5 times faster than the global average through to 2030. The region's strategic location at the centre of Asia, Africa, and Europe supports business and leisure travel, with the latter on a particularly strong trajectory for sector plays a vital role in developing the region's reputation for hosting major events. It is expected to experience the second-fastest rate of business travel growth among all global regions, underscoring the increased potential for combining business and leisure travel, or 'bleisure'.The region is also witnessing unprecedented growth in luxury and lifestyle tourism, attracting a new generation of high-net-worth travellers, drawn to exceptional Middle East hospitality, curated experiences and premium cultural to the report global spending on luxury leisure hospitality is expected to continue growing briskly reaching over $390 billion by 2028.'Travellers drawn to the Middle East tend to spend more on travel overall, nearly 60% habitually spending on luxury experiences while travelling compared to under 40% among travellers who favour other destinations,' added the more than 170 luxury hotel properties in the Middle East, nearly 100 are situated Abu Dhabi and Dubai, with 22 currently in development. With several luxury properties in the pipeline among Saudi Arabia's Giga projects, the region will continue to serve as a preferred destination for luxury and leisure travellers. Following in the footsteps of the Qatar 2022 World Cup and Dubai Expo 2020, the Middle East region has a proven track record for successfully hosting high-profile entertainment and sports events. According to the ATM Travel Trends report, the strong appetite for sports tourism in the region will lead to a potential growth rate of 63% in the coming years, with the 2034 FIFA World Cup in Saudi Arabia set to continue this to the report, golf, motorsports, football, cycling, and esports are all benefiting from heightened visibility and investment in the region. ATM is the leading international travel and tourism event held annually in Dubai. The next edition will take place from May 4-7, 2026.


Al Etihad
7 hours ago
- Al Etihad
Accidental 'double touch' penalties to be retaken if successful
London (PA Media/dpa) Accidental 'double touch' penalty kicks will be able to be retaken from July 1 if the kick was successful, the game's lawmakers have said. European football's governing body UEFA asked for the laws concerning these rare instances to be reviewed after Atletico Madrid forward Julian Alvarez had a spot-kick disallowed in a shoot-out against Real Madrid in the Champions League last 16 in March. The Argentinian slipped and his standing leg made slight contact with the ball. Real went on to win the shoot-out. The International Football Association Board (IFAB), which sets the sport's laws, has now issued a clarification to Law 14. The law does not directly cover what to do in the event of an accidental double touch, and the IFAB said referees had "understandably" been penalising all such touches up to this point. However, the IFAB said Law 14's primary purpose was to deal with deliberate double touches and a clarification has now been issued to all national associations and confederations. The IFAB acknowledges it would be unfair not to penalise a double touch at all and allow such kicks to stand as a goal, because goalkeepers can be disadvantaged by the altered trajectory of the ball. However, it has now clarified that where an accidental 'double touch' kick is scored, it should be retaken. Where such kicks are unsuccessful, they should either result in an indirect free-kick if they occur during a match, or recorded as missed if they occur in a shoot-out.