Latest news with #KhalidAlMidfa
Sharjah 24
21-05-2025
- Sport
- Sharjah 24
Sharjah Sports Club: Local and continental triumphs in 2025
Historic football victory at AFC Champions League 2 Among the club's landmark achievements was the football team's historic win of the AFC Champions League 2 title — their first ever — following a 2-1 triumph over Singapore's Lion City in the final. This major victory secures Sharjah's name in the annals of continental champions and brings pride to Emirati football on the Asian stage Asian Handball glory and super globe qualification Sharjah's handball team clinched the Asian Club Champions Championship title after defeating Saudi Arabia's Al-Khaleej in the final of the tournament's 27th edition. This win earns the team qualification for the 2025 Super Globe Club World Cup, set to take place in Egypt. The team also boasts two bronze medals from the 2018 and 2019 editions of the championship Local success in handball and basketball Domestically, Sharjah's handball team is vying for the Men's League title, currently facing Mleiha in the third round of the final. Meanwhile, the basketball team captured both the League title and Federation Cup, raising the club's tally to 26 local and international titles Youth Handball Team sets records Sharjah's youth handball team maintained its stellar reputation by sweeping the League, Cup, and Super Cup titles. The team continues to set records, becoming the most decorated team at this level with 17 League titles, 16 Super Cups, and 13 Federation Cups Individual Sports: Karate and judo shine In individual sports, the karate team claimed the General League Shield (Kata and Kumite) for the 13th consecutive time. Meanwhile, judo athletes brought home 12 medals from the Kalba Open Judo Championship for youth and juniors . Leadership credit and institutional vision Khalid Al Midfa, Chairman of the Sharjah Sports Club Board of Directors, attributed these accomplishments to the vision and support of His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah. He emphasied the club's commitment to becoming a leading sports institution with a sustainable social impact Continued support from Sharjah Sports Council Al Midfa praised the support of the Sharjah Sports Council, led by His Excellency Issa Hilal Al Hazami, noting its essential role in the club's continued success across all teams and competitions Development plans and future aspirations Engineer Suleiman Abdul Rahman Al Hajri, Board Member and Head of the Individual Games Department, stated that this season's results reflect the effectiveness of the club's strategic development plans. He commended the Sharjah Sports Council's commitment to enhancing the infrastructure to support the ambitions of players . Sharjah Sports Club continues its journey with determination and pride, carrying the responsibility of representing UAE sports on regional and international stages while working to realise the directives of the wise leadership .
The National
29-04-2025
- Business
- The National
ATM 2025: Sharjah banks on strategic location to boost tourism as it welcomes 13% more guests in Q1
Sharjah's heritage-orientated tourism sector is banking on the boost that will result from the several infrastructure and campaign strategies designed to attract more visitors, reinforcing one of the UAE's economic pillars. The emirate welcomed about 486,000 guests in the first quarter of 2025, a 13 per cent annual increase, Khalid Al Midfa, chairman of the Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority, told The National at the Arabian Travel Market exhibition in Dubai. Sharjah is aiming to increase visitor numbers by up to 15 per cent this year, underpinned by its focus on cultural, adventure and eco-tourism "and these are all of where the majority of our products are built", he said. "Some of [the infrastructure developments] will be ready this year and some next year and the year after ... the other area is the marketing and promotions, creating the right exposure to promote the destination across different channels, and this is really important." Mr Al Midfa declined to provide details on the cost of the projects but said the government is spending "billions and billions", especially on infrastructure development and road networks. "We have seven destinations [emirates] within the country and they are all very close by proximity," Mr Al Midfa said. "You don't need to fly or drive very long to get from one destination to the other. "And what you experience is something completely different between one destination and the other ... you get all of this variety." Last year, work started on the Dh1.2 billion ($326.7 million) terminal expansion at Sharjah International Airport as the emirate seeks to increase its annual capacity to 20 million by 2027. Spread across 190,000 square metres, the project is the largest phase of expansion work being undertaken and is expected to be completed in 2027. The makeover is expected to help increase the attraction of the hospitality sector, given Sharjah's location between Dubai and Abu Dhabi, and the rest of the UAE. "Eventually, Dubai International Airport [operations] will move to Al Maktoum International Airport in Jebel Ali, and when that happens Sharjah will be the core airport in the Northern Emirates," Amit Arora, chief commercial officer of developer Arada, told The National. "And when people come to Sharjah and these aeroplanes are linking the subcontinent to Europe via the hub in Sharjah, they're going to want to do [multiple] nights and check out its hospitality." Sharjah's growing real estate portfolio is being positioned to boost the emirate's appeal. At ATM, Arada introduced the mid-scale Nest Hotel, which will be developed within the $9.53 billion Aljada megaproject. The Nest is the first completed property in Arada's 1,031-key hotel and serviced apartment portfolio in the lifestyle community and is scheduled to open in October. The property is part of Arada's growing pipeline. The company has 1,680 rooms under development in various stages of completion and has plans to launch hotels each year, Mr Arora said. "Every year starting in 2025, we're going to put a hotel in the market, from four and five stars to ultra luxury." In February, Arada sold out its new $1.52 billion Masaar 2 building in three hours amid strong demand in the real estate market, making it the company's fastest-selling off-plan project in the emirate. It was another reflection of the UAE's real estate market, that has been booming in recent years on the back of strong investor demand and residency initiatives by the government. Arada is also aiming to cater to the student accommodation segment through the Nest brand, which Mr Arora said continues to grow amid an influx of students from around the region. "Outside of the UAE and other markets, we would potentially be able to scale the brand ... we're already getting enquiries from other parts of the GCC to bring Nest to locations where there is demand for student accommodation," he added.
Sharjah 24
16-04-2025
- Sport
- Sharjah 24
Sharjah Sports Council backs team in AFC Final
National Unity Celebrated Al Hazami highlighted the strong unity displayed by Emirati fans during the semi-final second leg, reflecting a robust national spirit inspired by the leadership's vision of fostering loyalty and belonging to the country. Team Effort Commended He commended Sharjah FC's efforts, led by His Excellency Khalid Al Midfa, as well as the players and Romanian coach Cosmin Olăroiu, for successfully navigating the significant challenges of the return leg. Their achievement, he noted, was attributed to the team's strong identity, high morale, and determination to reach the final despite a demanding schedule. National Pride Promoted The Chairman reaffirmed the Council's commitment to enhancing competitive values across all sports teams, supporting their aspirations for national success and elevating the UAE's status in international sporting arenas.
Khaleej Times
06-02-2025
- Business
- Khaleej Times
Sharjah Light Festival returns with 4 new locations after a year of preparation
From February 5 to 23, landmarks across Sharjah will be illuminated with stunning light displays as the Sharjah Light Festival returns for its 14th edition. With four new locations added across the emirate this year, the spectacular Festival took almost a year to prepare. With a massive yearly turnout, the festival not only captivates visitors but also provides a valuable platform for small businesses in the 12 locations, offering them greater exposure and support in their ventures, a top official told Khaleej Times. Last year, the festival attracted over 100,000 visitors, and it continues to play a key role in promoting local enterprises while showcasing the city's cultural and architectural beauty. Stay up to date with the latest news. Follow KT on WhatsApp Channels. The Light Village, opposite University City Hall, is open daily from 5pm and closes at midnight from Sunday to Wednesday, while it's open until 1am on weekends. Spread out across various spots in Sharjah; the festival features mesmerising light shows and light-related installations that highlight each unique location. Supporting SMEs Chairman of the Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority Khalid Al Midfa told Khaleej Times that the Light Village is a very important aspect of SLF since it supports SMEs by giving them exposure during the festival. 'Sales are important, but entrepreneurs who have a vision and want to grow in the future see the power of participating in such platforms like the Light Village, not only due to the sales but due to the exposure.' Last year, the Sharjah Light Festival saw more than 100,000 ticketed visitors. Two years prior, when entry to the light village was free, Al Midfa said there wasn't a good return on investment for the small businesses, so they chose to introduce tickets for certain visitors. 'We gave a space for people who wanted to eat or drink or pay for an experience to visit the light village, so that was a better mix for us.' Al Midfa noted that around 60 SMEs were chosen out of 300 applications this year. Reputation of Sharjah The festival not only gives a chance for local businesses to gain traction and prosper, but it also helps with the UAE's overall tourism goals of transforming the country into a premier global tourism destination. Because the exposure for SLF is huge, Al Midfa said that this gives an opportunity to promote the emirate as the cultural capital of the Arab world. He said, 'We are very happy with the diversity of events we have and how strong of an effect it has on the reputation of Sharjah and its perception.'
