Following a recommendation by the International Rugby Board (now World Rugby) to restructure the game in the Gulf region, a decision was issued in 2009 to establish the Board of Directors of the UAE Rugby Association, which was entrusted with developing and promoting rugby throughout the United Arab Emirates.

The Association became fully operational in April 2010 and was granted full membership of Asia Rugby in June of the same year. In October 2012, it was renamed the UAE Rugby Federation.

In November 2012, the UAE Rugby Federation became a Full Member of World Rugby—the highest level of membership granted to national rugby unions.

The United Arab Emirates, established in 1971, is a federation of seven emirates: Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al-Quwain, Ras Al-Khaimah, and Fujairah. It lies at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa — tapping a vast hinterland of 3 continents, 136 nations, and 3.2 billion people.

The UAE hosts world-class events year-round — from the Dubai Rugby Sevens and Abu Dhabi F1 Grand Prix to the Dubai Desert Classic and Dubai World Cup. With major sporting infrastructure across the Emirates, the UAE continues to be a premier destination for international sport.

Rugby’s beginnings in the Middle East stretch back to 1947. In 1974, representatives from UAE, Bahrain, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia established the Arabian Gulf Rugby Football Union. What began 50 years ago has grown into one of the premier rugby sevens tournaments in the world — the Dubai Rugby Sevens.