UAE Muay Thai Team Finishes Fourth at World Championships in Kosovo

By James Mercer • 13 September 2026, 06:06 • 3 mins read

With just six athletes, the UAE Muay Thai team earned ten medals at the 2026 World Championships in Kosovo, finishing as the top Arab nation, second in Asia, and fourth overall among 52 countries.

Ten medals from six athletes. At the 2026 World Muay Thai Championships in Kosovo, the UAE national team arrived with one of the smallest squads but left with a result that stood out: fourth place worldwide, first among Arab nations, and second in Asia. Few teams matched their efficiency or ambition.

While larger countries sent full rosters to Deçan, the UAE's group of six fighters reached the podium in every division they entered. Their tally: six golds, one silver, and three bronzes, all won between 3 and 10 September under the International Federation of Muaythai Associations (IFMA). This showing raised expectations for what a focused, well-prepared team can do at the highest level. According to Sharjah24, the UAE finished first among Arab teams, second in Asia, and fourth overall out of 52 countries.

The 2026 Senior All Disciplines World Championships in Deçan, Kosovo, were the IFMA's flagship adult world tournament, not a limited invitational event.

IFMA official site

The UAE's strength was clear in the technical events. Five gold medals and a bronze came in the MT Technical category, with wins from Mohamed Touizi (57kg men), Yassine Karimi (63.5kg), Ahmed Ismail (75kg), Mohamed Abdel Aziz (81kg under 24), and Imad Youssef (86kg under 24). Mohamed Karimi added a bronze in the 71kg men's division. In Muaythai Combat, Imad Youssef took a second gold at 86kg under 24, Mohamed Abdel Aziz earned silver at 81kg under 24, and both Mohamed Touizi and Yassine Karimi added bronzes in their weight classes. Sharjah24 independently confirmed this medal breakdown.

Abdullah Saeed Al Neyadi, Vice President of the International Federation of Muaythai Associations and head of the UAE Muay Thai and Kickboxing Federation, said: "We are proud of the technical level and fighting spirit shown by our national team. Six athletes, ten medals, and a top-four global finish among 52 countries-this is a direct result of quality preparation and the calibre of our players," as quoted by Sharjah24.

This result continues a pattern of UAE teams making an impact in international sport, as seen in recent youth and junior sailing events that have also brought attention to the Emirates. The Muay Thai team's performance is part of the broader "UAE Champions Season" for 2026-2027, a campaign aimed at keeping the country's athletes at the forefront of continental and global competition.

Contemporaneous reporting from the Kosovo championships showed that national teams were actively publishing medal totals and rankings as the event concluded, with final standings being finalized around 11 September 2026. This underscores the real-time competitiveness and transparency of the tournament's results.

Telegraph India and Shafaq News

For the UAE, this result is more than a medal count. With targeted investment, careful preparation, and a focus on quality, the country's athletes are now serious contenders in sports where tradition once dominated. The message is clear: UAE sport is here to compete at the highest level.

Topics: Athlete Stories

UAE CUE Sports Desk

James Mercer

James Mercer is the Founder, Owner, Publisher and Managing Director of UAE CUE Sports, where he oversees editorial direction and the publication's development across the Emirates. He writes about UAE sport, sports media, major events, venues, sports business and the wider relationship between participation, audiences and the country's sporting industry.