New baseball league announces Dubai International Stadium as official venue for inaugural showcase

DUBAI: The United International Baseball League, the first-ever professional baseball competition created for India, Pakistan and the Middle East, has signed a partnership with Dubai Sports City, which will see Dubai International Stadium as the official venue for the UIBL’s inaugural showcase from Feb. 23 to March 5, 2023.

The venue will play host to nine games and one exhibition featuring four of the league’s initial franchises.

Dubai International Stadium is an anchor of the Dubai Sports City complex, the premier multi-purpose sports development in Dubai. The stadium, which opened in 2009, has hosted several high-profile International Cricket Council and Indian Premier League tournaments, including last year’s IPL final between the Chennai Super Kings and the Kolkata Knight Riders. The venue will also be home to the inaugural season of the International League T20, the UAE’s professional cricket league that begins play in January 2023.

“It’s an honor for our league to begin play in one of the world’s most storied stadiums,” said Kanwal S. Sra, founder, chairman and CEO of the UIBL. “Dubai International Stadium is one of the jewels of the region, and it will be an incredible launchpad for the UIBL as we bring professional baseball to fans across the Middle East and South Asia. We greatly appreciate the support and partnership of Dubai Sports Council, Dubai Sports City, and the entire Dubai International Stadium team.”

A key part of the UIBL’s growth strategy and intellectual property is the league’s process of transforming cricket fields — plentiful across the Indian Subcontinent and the Middle East — into baseball diamonds. This includes formulation and transportation of the infield dirt, design and