Watch: Dubai Senior Citizens Sweat It Out On Football Pitch With Ex-Chelsea Star

At 66, Hassan Kareem Albalooshi isn't just watching football. He is playing it and in style. On Tuesday, the Emirati found himself stepping onto the football pitch alongside Florent Malouda, the former Chelsea winger and international player for France. The duo traded passes, high fives and some jokes during the course of a 15-minute game.

The five-a-side friendly football match, held to celebrate the opening of Dubai Sports World (DSW) at Dubai World Trade Center, saw a team of senior citizens from the Thukher Club play alongside Malouda. Secretary General of Dubai Sports Council Saeed Hareb and EVP of DWTC Mahir Julfar also joined the game.

“It was such a great experience,” Albalooshi told Khaleej Times after the game.“He was surprised by how much energy we had. We had completed a 2km jog in the morning at the Dubai Marathon as well.”

40 courts

DSW, which is returning for the 15th edition this year, will remain open until September 2 with over 40 indoor courts and pitches for sports lovers across the country.

Spanning over 25,000 square metres, the facility features nine core sports: football, basketball, padel, table tennis, volleyball, badminton, cricket, tennis, and pickleball. This year, DSW is bringing back its free, open-access gym featuring advanced cardio machines, functional training rigs, and strength zones.

The venue is open every day from 6 am to 8 am exclusively for runners and from 8 am to 12 am (midnight) for all sports. UAE residents can book any of the courts using the DSW app.

“During the summer, the residents and visitors of Dubai need such a venue to continue their physical activities,” said Saeed Hareb at the launch of the event.“For the last 15 years, DSW has established itself as the preferred summer destination for sports enthusiasts of all kinds.”

Mahir added that indoor sports arena which“started as an idea on how to keep Dubai residents active during summer” has evolved into a much-awaited part of summer and that they try to bring something new every edition.“This year, we have added the indoor running track to the facility,” he said.

As part of its opening, the facility also hosted Dubai's first ever indoor half marathon - the DSW Run IN - with a participation of more than 500 runners.

Malouda, who toured the facility, said that he was“impressed” by it.“Having played at the highest levels of international football, I can appreciate the quality of the infrastructure and the passion for sport that this event represents,” he said.“This platform is a great opportunity for people to try various different sports at one location.”

He added that it had become increasingly difficult for parents to get their children away from their screens and practice sport and that such facilities would support this.

Corporates across the country can register for the DSW Summer League, which will take place on August 23, for inter-company competitions in cricket, football, volleyball, basketball, and badminton.

Aiman Khan, Head of Partnerships at International Sports and Entertainment Zone (ISEZA) said that there was a“lack of indoor sports facilities” in the region and initiatives like DSW were the need of the hour.

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