The United Arab Emirates University and Al Ain Sports and Cultural Club held the “AI Football Hakhathon” and the Sports Content Creation Competition

The United Arab Emirates University and Al Ain Sports and Cultural Club organized the "AI Football Hakhathon” and “Sports Content Creation Competition” an event that blends innovation and technology in the world of sports. The event was attended by H.E. Hamad Nakhirat Al Ameri, Managing Director of Al Ain Sports and Cultural Club, H.E.Prof. Ahmed Ali Al Raeesi, Acting Vice Chancellor of UAEU, and a group of innovators in the fields of AI and sports, along with faculty members and students, at the Great Hall in the Crescent Building on the university campus in Al Ain.

H.E. Hamad Nakhirat Al Ameri emphasized the fruitful collaboration between the university and the Al Ain Sports and Cultural Club, highlighting how this event reflects the spirit of integration between academic and sports institutions. This collaboration underscores the importance of joint efforts to achieve comprehensive development in the country. He pointed out that this initiative proves that combining advanced technology with the sports sector opens new horizons for developing young talents. UAEU students excelled during the football hackathon and sports media content competition by providing innovative solutions based on artificial intelligence to analyze performance and develop strategies, thereby enhancing the technological awareness of future generations.

H.E.Prof. Ahmed Ali Al Raeesi,explained that this event, held in partnership with Al Ain Sports and Cultural Club, is part of UAEU's strategic community partnership initiatives. He emphasized that the club is one of the university's main partners. This collaboration has resulted in many initiatives, ideas, and work plans that have emerged through this partnership. H.E.Prof. Ahmed Ali Al Raeesi,stressed the importance of the integration of different roles and efforts to actively contribute to achieving sustainable development in Al Ain, in line with the "Year of Community 2025." He further announced a research partnership between UAEU and Al Ain Sports and Cultural Club, focusing on using artificial intelligence techniques to enhance the efficiency of sports work at the club. UAEU, along with Al Ain Club and strategic partners, will work to develop the outcomes of the research results.

The AI Football Hakhathon aims to embody a futuristic vision for analyzing sports performance through AI while creatively reimagining the club's historical narrative using technology-driven content. This event is part of a broader strategy for the UAE to promote digital transformation and build local capabilities in artificial intelligence. The hackathon also reinforces Al Ain Club’s position as a leader in adopting smart technologies, with the potential to export successful models to global clubs, thereby enhancing technical collaboration with academic institutions.

During the event, the participating projects were showcased, and the winning teams and students were announced. In the Sports Content Competition, Khaled Osama won first place, followed by Shahd Emad in second place, and Nora Abdullah in third. In the AI Football Hakhathon, the team "Al Zaeem AI&Seen" won first place, followed by the "Talente.dev" team in second place, and "Al Namoos Team Oasis&Innovative Mind" in third place. The "Best User Experience Design" award was won by the "GoalNet AI" team.