UAE football stars gather in Abu Dhabi to celebrate 2025-26 season.
Dubai: The UAE Pro League honoured the standout performers of the 2025–26 season at its annual awards ceremony at Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental in Abu Dhabi.
The event brought together UAE Pro League Chairman H.E. Abdulla Naser Al Jneibi, board members, senior officials, sports figures, football stars, club representatives, strategic partners and members of the media.
The ceremony opened with an address by Al Jneibi, who welcomed guests and reflected on the key achievements and milestones of the 2025–26 season.
He also highlighted football’s growing reach and influence across the region, noting that UAE Pro League competitions attracted more than 45 million television viewers and were covered by more than 800 media outlets during the previous season.
Digital platforms generated more than five billion media impressions, while the League’s media value exceeded Dh1 billion, highlighting football’s significant commercial impact for its clubs and partners.
With the new season set to kick off on Friday, Al Jneibi said the League’s focus is on building on last season’s achievements and continuing to raise the level of competition and success.
The evening also featured the launch of the UAE Pro League’s new official anthem, “Football Brings Us Together”.
Performed in four languages, the song celebrates the UAE’s diverse society and the League’s growing identity, while highlighting football’s ability to bring together fans and cultures from around the world.
As the awards ceremony was about to begin, a major announcement took centre stage: World Cup winner Andrés Iniesta was named a global ambassador for the UAE Pro League.
The Spanish football legend, who is also head coach of Dubai-based Gulf United, is further strengthening his ties to the region, underscoring his commitment to investing in the future of football in the UAE.
The UAE’s most successful club, Al Ain, dominated the awards after an unbeaten campaign that saw them claim the UAE Pro League title.
Matías Palacios won the Golden Ball for Best Player, while goalkeeper Khalid Eissa received the Golden Glove. Manager Vladimir Ivić was named Best Coach and received the Leader Award.
Abdulkarim Trawri was named Best U23 Player, while Soufian Rahimi completed Al Ain’s clean sweep by winning the Fans’ Player of the Year award.
Al Wasl’s Sérgio Pereira won the Best Goal Award, while the statistics-based honours recognised the league’s top scorers.
Kodjo Laba claimed the ADNOC Pro League Golden Shoe after finishing the season with 25 goals.
Abdoulaye Toure won the ADIB Cup Golden Shoe, while Ali Al-Maamari took the Pro League U23 Silver Shoe after scoring 17 goals.
