In a remarkable move that places Dubai on the global sports map, the emirate has inaugurated the first professional baseball stadium in the Middle East. Located at The Sevens sports complex along Al Ain Road, the stadium seats 6,500 fans and spans a geographical reach from Morocco to India, making it a unique addition to the region. This project reflects Dubai’s ambition to popularize baseball in the Middle East and encourage its growth across a diverse audience.
The design of this new stadium draws inspiration from the iconic Yankee Stadium in New York, one of the world’s most famous baseball venues. The stadium’s dimensions mirror the original, with identical fence distances: 318 feet to the left, 314 feet to the right, and 408 feet in the center. These authentic dimensions provide fans with a taste of New York, while the unique mix of traditional and modern design includes a vintage-style scoreboard from 19th-century baseball alongside a contemporary LED wall, creating a fusion of history and modern technology.
To withstand Dubai’s high temperatures, the stadium features an advanced synthetic turf made from dual-fiber materials, ensuring durability and player comfort. This synthetic surface maintains a relative coolness, reducing heat impact on athletes. Additionally, the stadium is equipped with an LED lighting system that produces over 15 million lumens, illuminating the field with eight towers and 94 lights, enhancing nighttime visibility and elevating the spectator experience, particularly for evening events.
The stadium’s unique design captures the spirit of baseball’s storied past while embracing cutting-edge technology. The vintage scoreboard echoes the charm of 19th-century baseball fields, while a modern LED wall displays live content and game information. Baseball United, the organization behind the stadium, has crafted a balance between honoring the sport’s legacy and meeting modern expectations, appealing to fans of all ages and offering an enjoyable experience.
This stadium marks a significant step in expanding baseball in the Middle East and South Asia, aiming to make the sport more popular among Arab and Asian communities. Kash Shaikh, co-founder and CEO of Baseball United, highlighted the stadium’s role as a central launch point for growing baseball interest, explaining how it honors baseball’s 150-year heritage while aiming to increase the sport’s regional fan base. He credited the project’s success to strong partnerships dedicated to expanding baseball’s reach.
The stadium will debut its first games this month with the “Arab Classic” tournament, featuring teams from the UAE, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan, and Nepal. This event kicks off a series of special games aimed at boosting baseball’s appeal in the region. In February, Dubai will host another tournament that brings together former MLB stars and local talents, offering fans the chance to see global athletes and enjoy a professional-level performance that enhances the viewing experience. As the first venue of its kind, this stadium provides a comprehensive setting for baseball, paving the way for future tournaments that will cement the sport’s popularity.
Started my career in Automotive Journalism in 2015. Even though I'm a pharmacist, hanging around cars all the time has created a passion for the automotive industry since day 1.