Abu Dhabi is the capital of both the United Arab Emirates and the emirate of Abu Dhabi, which is blessed with blazing sun all year round and boasts pristine beaches, spectacular dunes and a cosmopolitan outlook on life. It is a destination of historic buildings, thrilling headline attractions, engaging tours and a packed calendar of headline events covering the arts, culture, sports, concerts and trade shows.

Abu Dhabi is also steeped in history, with evidence of human settlement in these lands stretching back 7,000 years. With an emphasis on conservation and heritage preservation, the culture and traditions of the emirate are an integral chapter in Abu Dhabi’s story.

While long established as one of the world’s biggest oil-producing regions, the emirate of Abu Dhabi is also one of the fastest-growing tourism and leisure destinations on the planet. It owes that status in large part to attractions such as the Desert Islands, a multi-experience tourist destination oriented towards nature lovers, and the Saadiyat Island Cultural District, a unique project that will house branches of museums as prestigious as the Louvre and the Guggenheim in buildings designed by architects of the calibre of Jean Nouvel, the winner of the coveted Pritzker Architecture Prize, and Frank Gehry.

Football Abu Dhabi is home to some of the most popular and successful clubs in UAE football - Al Wahda, Al Jazira, Al Dhafra and Bani Yas, who all play in the Arabian Gulf League. The UAE FA top-tier league tournament was number one on AFC’s Club Competitions Ranking in 2017. Abu Dhabi boasts a number of top stadiums which include: Zayed Sports City Stadium, a venue that hosted the 2003 FIFA U-20 World Cup, three editions of the FIFA Club World Cup (2009, 2010, 2017) and the 2013 FIFA U-17 World Cup; Mohammed Bin Zayed Stadium, which hosted the 2009 and 2010 FIFA Club World Cup, and Al Nahyan Stadium, which was the venue for group and Round of 16 matches at the FIFA U-20 World Cup in 2003.