His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Second Deputy Ruler of Dubai, has been appointed Chairman of Al Wasl Sports Club, the Dubai-based multi-sport institution that traces its lineage to 1960. The appointment, announced by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, follows the death last month of Sheikh Ahmed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the club's previous chairman who died on 21 September at the age of 76. Butti bin Maktoum bin Juma was simultaneously named Vice Chairman, continuing the appointment of senior family figures to oversee the institution.
The succession marks the second significant leadership change at Al Wasl in recent weeks and reflects the strategic importance Dubai's ruling family places on sports governance. Al Wasl Sports Club operates across multiple disciplines, though its football team remains the flagship, competing in the UAE Pro League where it currently sits third in the 2025-26 season. The appointment comes at a time when the club maintains strong competitive standing and continues to develop its athletic programs. No search firm involvement was disclosed in the appointment announcement.
Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed, born in 1987, holds multiple senior positions that signal his growing role in Dubai's strategic institutions. He serves as Second Deputy Ruler since April 2023, Chairman of the Dubai Media Council since June 2022, President of the UAE National Olympic Committee since August 2023, and Chairman of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Knowledge Foundation. His appointment to lead Al Wasl consolidates sports governance within his portfolio and signals continuity in the family's oversight of the club. He is the son of Dubai's ruler, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.
Al Wasl Sports Club was established in 1960 as Al Zamalek, a casual gathering of young men seeking common ground for athletic pursuits. The club formally adopted its current name in 1973, drawing from the historic designation for Dubai. It has grown into one of the region's most successful football institutions, capturing eight UAE Pro League titles, most recently in 2023-24, and receiving recognition in 2010 from the International Federation of Football History and Statistics as the Club of the Century in the UAE. The club's football team competed at international level, including an AFC Champions League bronze medal achievement in 1993. Al Wasl serves as home to the Emirates national football academy and maintains facilities at the 8,439-capacity Zabeel Stadium in central Dubai.
The appointment suggests the Al Maktoum family intends to maintain direct oversight of Al Wasl during a period of competitive success for its football operations. Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed's background in media governance and Olympic administration may signal an intention to enhance the club's institutional positioning and international profile beyond football alone. His uncle, the deceased Sheikh Ahmed bin Rashid, had served as the club's figurehead during decades in which Al Wasl established itself as a major regional sports power, and the younger Sheikh Ahmed's appointment likely represents an effort to sustain that standing while bringing fresh strategic direction aligned with broader Dubai sports initiatives.
