Fans of NBA will soon be able to buy official merchandise in Qatar, the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. The National Basketball Association (NBA) and Qatar’s Al Mana Fashion Group have teamed up to open stores during the 2016-2017 NBA season, the association and Al Mana Fashion Group said in a joint statement.
The first two outlets will open in Doha with additional stores in the Gulf to follow. Fans of the Cleveland Cavaliers, the newly crowned NBA champions, and the other 29 NBA teams will be able to buy apparel, jerseys, footwear, sporting goods, toys and collectibles.
Al Mana Group did not give a time frame on the opening or location of the subsequent openings.
“The National Basketball Association is one of the most successful sports leagues in the world and is watched and enjoyed by millions of people around the globe,” said Andrew Fairall, the general manager of Al Mana Fashion Group – Sports Division.
“With basketball being one of the fastest-growing categories in sports retail in the region, we are very excited to be working with such an iconic brand as we build an exciting new chapter in our illustrious legacy in the Middle East.”
The NBA outlets will look to enhance the growing number of sport-themed outlets in the UAE. The Uefa Champions League Experience, a retail and casual-dining outlet operated by the Dubai based retail group Marka, opened in Yas Mall in June last year and Cafe Diego, an official link-up with the famed footballer Diego Maradona, is now open at the Nation Galleria Mall in Abu Dhabi. Both outlets show live football.
In terms of football-shirt sponsorship, the UAE has lead the way for two seasons running. In March, the Repucom European Football Jersey Report said that airlines from the Arabian Gulf spent Dh670 million putting their logos and names on shirts, including those of Arsenal and Manchester City.
Qatar invested heavily in football, buying French champions Paris St-Germain and sponsoring Spanish champions Barcelona.
Ferrari World, the world’s largest indoor theme park, is the first Ferrari-branded entertainment experience. It opened in Abu Dhabi in November 2010, cementing the country’s love of luxury cars, speed and extreme excitement.
ascott@thenational.ae
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Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
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