Key Takeaways
- Real American Freestyle will stage its first international youth wrestling tournament in Abu Dhabi on November 14-15, 2026, with registration now open.
- Finalists advance from preliminary qualifiers at NYU Abu Dhabi to championship finals at Etihad Arena, the same venue hosting RAF’s professional card.
- Competition spans four age divisions, U11 through U17, with girls’ brackets included at U13 and U15.
- The event extends a five-year partnership between RAF, DCT Abu Dhabi and the UAE Wrestling Federation.
Real American Freestyle (RAF) is taking its youth development platform overseas. The promotion, along with the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) and the UAE Wrestling Federation, announced RAF NEXT GEN Abu Dhabi, the first international youth wrestling tournament in the RAF ecosystem, set for November 14-15, 2026. Hundreds of young wrestlers from international and regional federations are expected to compete, with registration open across all weight classes and limited places per division, the company said.
A Two-Venue Weekend Anchored to the Pro Card
The youth tournament is structured to run alongside RAF Abu Dhabi, the promotion’s professional event headlined by Khamzat Chimaev and Colby Covington at Etihad Arena on Yas Island on November 14. Preliminary youth qualifiers take place the same day at NYU Abu Dhabi. On November 15, the youth competition moves to Etihad Arena, where finalists will compete on the same mats used by the professional roster the night before.
That venue progression is the core of the pitch to young athletes and their federations. “Bringing young athletes from different countries to Abu Dhabi and giving them the chance to compete on the same stage as the sport’s biggest names is exactly the kind of pathway wrestling needs more of,” said Chad Bronstein, CEO and Co-Founder of RAF, in the announcement.
How the Competition Is Structured
Per the announcement, competition will span four age divisions: U11, U13, U15 and U17, with girls’ competitions included at U13 and U15. The field will draw from the UAE Wrestling Federation, other regional federations and individual athletes. Wrestlers competing in RAF NEXT GEN events earn ranking points and can potentially qualify for RAF championship events, giving the youth series a direct connection to the professional product.
RAF NEXT GEN launched in the United States earlier this year as a development platform for young wrestlers, coaches and federations. Beyond the tournament series, RAF says it is building out the youth side of its business through athlete development initiatives and club acquisition under RAF NEXT GEN and RAF Clubs.
Abu Dhabi’s Long-Term Play in Combat Sports
The youth event is an extension of the existing five-year partnership between RAF, DCT Abu Dhabi and the UAE Wrestling Federation. For the emirate, the tournament fits a stated strategy that goes beyond one-off event hosting. “We also want to create platforms that contribute to the long-term development of wrestling and sport more broadly,” said Fakhry Alsarraj, Acting Executive Director of the Events, Retail & Culinary Sector at DCT Abu Dhabi, adding that the event supports “Abu Dhabi’s continued growth as a regional hub for combat sports.”
Sheikh Hamdan bin Saeed bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan, Secretary General of the UAE Wrestling Federation, said developing the next generation is central to the long-term growth of wrestling in the UAE.
From a US Launch to Etihad Arena in Under a Year
RAF itself is barely a year old, having launched in August 2025 as what it calls the first unscripted professional freestyle wrestling league, streaming exclusively on FOX Nation and generating more than 300 million social views per event, according to the company. Taking NEXT GEN international within its first full year signals how quickly the promotion is moving to build a feeder system under the professional league. Details on participating federations, the competition format and event-week programming are expected in the coming weeks, and the open question is which national federations outside the region commit to sending athletes.
Source: Real American Freestyle, October 14, 2026, [URL]
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Youth Sports Marketing Questions, Answered
Where can brands sponsor youth sports? Brands can sponsor youth sports through local leagues and clubs, tournaments and events, facilities and complexes, governing bodies, and national platform programs. Sponsoring a child’s own program is the most powerful entry point: 81 percent of parents say it captures their attention, outperforming TV, social media, and pro sports sponsorship, per a 2026 Priority Partnerships study conducted by YouGov Sport.
How much does youth sports sponsorship cost? Youth sports sponsorship costs range from a few thousand dollars for a local league or team sponsorship to six and seven figures for regional facility naming rights and national platform programs. The environment is welcoming at every level: 84 percent of parents hold net positive sentiment toward brands sponsoring youth sports, with negative sentiment under 5 percent, per YouGov Sport research. Most brands start with a pilot activation, measure engagement, then scale.
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