The Arab Women Sports Tournament (AWST; Arabic: دورة الألعاب للأندية العربية للسيدات) is a biennial multi-sport event held in the Emirate of Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. Organized by Sharjah Women's Sports (SWS), the tournament serves as a competitive platform for female athletes from various Arab nations. It operates under the umbrella of the Union of Arab National Olympic Committees.[1]
| Tournament information | |
|---|---|
| Sport | Multi-sport |
| Venue | Sharjah, United Arab Emirates |
| Teams | 65 (2026 edition) |
| Website | awst |
The tournament is held under the patronage of Sheikha Jawaher bint Mohammed Al Qasimi, Wife of the Ruler of Sharjah and Chairperson of SWS. Since its inception in 2012, the event has expanded to include international sanctions for specific disciplines, including volleyball and taekwondo.[2]
History
editThe tournament was established in 2012, evolving from the "Gulf Inter-Club Tournament," to provide a unified competitive environment for women's sports clubs in the region.[3]
Over successive editions, the event sought accreditation from international sports federations. By the 2026 edition, the volleyball competition was sanctioned by the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB), and the taekwondo competition received a G1 international ranking from World Taekwondo.[4][5]
Sports and disciplines
editThe 2026 edition featured ten sports, including the debut of beach rowing.[6] The official lineup consisted of:
- Archery
- Athletics
- Basketball
- Fencing
- Karate
- Rowing (Beach rowing debut)
- Shooting
- Table tennis
- Taekwondo (G1 classification)
- Volleyball (FIVB sanctioned)
2026 Tournament
editReferences
edit- 1 2 "65 teams from 16 Arab nations reinforce AWST's standing". Sharjah24. 17 February 2026. Retrieved 14 May 2026.
- ↑ "Arab Women Sports Tournament 2026 kicks off in Sharjah". Emirates News Agency (WAM). 31 January 2026. Retrieved 14 May 2026.
- ↑ Swan, Melanie. "Expanded Arab Women's Sports Championship to draw a bigger crowd in Sharjah". The National. Retrieved 2026-05-14.
- ↑ "Hosts Sharjah triumph as volleyball champs at Arab women's club games". FIVB Official. 13 February 2026. Retrieved 14 May 2026.
- ↑ "Taekwondo competitions of 8th AWST to begin on Feb 10 with G1 classification". Gulf Today. 29 January 2026. Retrieved 14 May 2026.
- ↑ "Rowing debuts at AWST 2026 with seven Arab teams competing". Sharjah24. 29 January 2026. Retrieved 14 May 2026.
- ↑ "8th Arab Women's Sports Tournament of 2026". Arab Australia. 2026-02-26. Retrieved 2026-05-14.