Get ready for the new family tournament
7th and 8th November 2026 at The Ripe Market, Dubai Police Academy. Parents and children play on the same team.
Event details
Organised by REA Sports FZE. Parents and children play together, on the same team, in short matches. It is a community family sports day for Dubai: a way to strengthen family ties, support an active life, and bring different communities onto one pitch. The day is built to be safe, and it sits with the UAE’s focus on family and wellbeing, including the Year of the Family. It is meant as a family sports day the city can repeat, not a one-off kickabout.
- Who plays
- Family teams. Parents and children are on the pitch together.
- Matches
- 15 minutes. Fast games so every family stays in the action. Three pitches, group play, then knockouts.
- Squad
- A small family squad: at least 2 adults and 3 children aged 8 to 13. Adults are 18 or over.
- Field
- Planned for up to 30 family teams, in three groups, then knockout stages.
How a team is built
- A full team needs at least 2 adults and 3 children aged 8 to 13. Squads stay small, so this is not an 11-a-side match.
- At least 3 children stay on the pitch at all times.
- Only children can score. A goal by an adult does not count.
- Adults play gently around children. No hard shoulder charges or physical challenges against a child.
- Matches last 15 minutes and are scheduled across three pitches, with referees and a running order managed on the day.
- Teams play in three groups first, then move into knockout stages.
- Families who cannot fill a team can register on the single-dad path and REA will place them.
- The full rules sit on the registration page. You agree to them before the form opens.
Match day and safety
How the day is run
- Setup and logistics are in place before the first whistle.
- Every team passes through registration and accreditation.
- Match scheduling and referee coordination cover all three pitches.
- Crowd flow and participant management run through the day.
- Digital scoring and an operations desk keep the schedule clear.
Safety on the day
- On-site medical and first-aid cover.
- Emergency response and venue evacuation procedures.
- Crowd flow management.
- Child safety protocols.
- Compliance with UAE event safety standards.
This tournament is the event open for registration. It is for families with children aged 8 to 13. Programmes for other ages will be announced when the new academy opens. They are not open today.
Why the tournament exists
- Put parents and children on the same team, so the family bond is the point of the match.
- Encourage an active, healthy way to spend the day together.
- Bring different communities onto one pitch, and give more families a reason to play rather than only watch.
- Support community sport in the UAE, in line with the country’s focus on family and wellbeing.
- Keep the environment safe and enjoyable, from the first arrival to the last match.
Past events
Photographs from previous REA family football in Dubai.
A shot on goal 
Close control 
A family team with their medals 
Young players after the final whistle
Registration
Register for the upcoming family tournament. The form asks for each player on one line.