World Rugby has announced the 2020 Dubai Rugby Sevens has been cancelled.
It is the first time since it was first staged in 1970 that the annual rugby festival will not take place.
The tournament had been scheduled for the weekend of 26-26 November.
Along with the Cape Town leg of the World Sevens Series, it has been cancelled because of the coronavirus pandemic.
“After a comprehensive consultation process and constructive dialogue with the host organisations, it has been decided that the combined men’s and women’s Dubai and Cape Town rounds of the [Series], will not take place,” World Rugby said.
“The decisions were taken in line with relevant government and international public health authority advice, and with the health and wellbeing of the rugby community and the wider public taking precedence.
“Both hosts are due to return to a full series schedule beyond this season.”
Gary Chapman, the president of the tournament’s owners and organisers Emirates Group Services and dnata, said the decision had not been taken likely, but was “understandable” given the health situation.
“We are of course disappointed not to be hosting the Emirates Airline Dubai Rugby Sevens for the first time in 51 years,” Chapman said.
“But we understand the extraordinary circumstances surrounding today’s cancellation of the opening tournaments of the new season.
“With 28 national teams from 18 countries on six continents, the current pandemic has created a unique challenge to logistics with each country facing differing levels of restrictions on travel around the world.”
Faisal Abdulaziz Al Zarooni, the vice chairman of the UAE Rugby Federation, said they “totally support” World Rugby’s decision to cancel the event.
“The UAERF has been working tirelessly with Emirates, World Rugby and local sports governing bodies for the successful delivery of another [tournament] in 2020,” Al Zarooni said.
“Regrettably, the global sport events calendar is witnessing a massive restructure as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic’s distressing impact on all our living aspects.
“UAERF believes player welfare is paramount. We totally support this decision which serves keeping every participant in the safe zone.”
The Dubai Sevens was initially founded in 1970 when Dubai Exiles, the country’s oldest rugby club, invited teams to play a tournament in rugby’s abridged format.
It was won by a side from the Staffordshire Regiment, a regiment of the British Army who were stationed in what was then the Trucial States.
The competition has continued since, and become arguably the most popular annual event on the UAE sporting calendar, with around 300 teams competing in the rugby and netball events last year.
In 1999, Dubai was added as a leg on the new World Sevens Series, involving the leading international teams.
The only comparable situation to the current one occurred in 2001. Back then, the tournament was downgraded and excluded from the Series, after a number of teams withdrew in the wake of the September 11 attacks in the United States - but a version of the event still went ahead.
Although the World Series event is not taking place this November, the organisers hope they will be able to stage a version of the invitational tournaments.
With domestic sport having seen a phased reopening in recent weeks, Tom Burwell, the tournament director, said plans are ongoing for a regional invitational tournament.
“Whilst we are unable to deliver the world-famous Emirates Airline Dubai Rugby Sevens in its traditional format in 2020, we are currently exploring options to safely deliver an invitation tournament in December,” he said.
“[It] will be invitational and club-level regionally focused across rugby, netball and cricket. We will announce further details in due course next month.”
Domestic rugby was halted just before the conclusion of the final phase of the season at the start of March as a response to the coronavirus outbreak.
Clubs have begun planning for the next season, with many advertising for new players, and training is permitted as per safety guidelines set out by the sports councils.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The Buckingham Murders
Starring: Kareena Kapoor Khan, Ash Tandon, Prabhleen Sandhu
Director: Hansal Mehta
Rating: 4 / 5
AI traffic lights to ease congestion at seven points to Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Street
The seven points are:
Shakhbout bin Sultan Street
Dhafeer Street
Hadbat Al Ghubainah Street (outbound)
Salama bint Butti Street
Al Dhafra Street
Rabdan Street
Umm Yifina Street exit (inbound)
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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
Two-step truce
The UN-brokered ceasefire deal for Hodeidah will be implemented in two stages, with the first to be completed before the New Year begins, according to the Arab Coalition supporting the Yemeni government.
By midnight on December 31, the Houthi rebels will have to withdraw from the ports of Hodeidah, Ras Issa and Al Saqef, coalition officials told The National.
The second stage will be the complete withdrawal of all pro-government forces and rebels from Hodeidah city, to be completed by midnight on January 7.
The process is to be overseen by a Redeployment Co-ordination Committee (RCC) comprising UN monitors and representatives of the government and the rebels.
The agreement also calls the deployment of UN-supervised neutral forces in the city and the establishment of humanitarian corridors to ensure distribution of aid across the country.
Read more from Kareem Shaheen
What are the influencer academy modules?
- Mastery of audio-visual content creation.
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- Emerging technologies and VFX with AI and CGI.
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Fixtures
Wednesday
4.15pm: Japan v Spain (Group A)
5.30pm: UAE v Italy (Group A)
6.45pm: Russia v Mexico (Group B)
8pm: Iran v Egypt (Group B)
Timeline
2012-2015
The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East
May 2017
The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts
September 2021
Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act
October 2021
Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence
December 2024
Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group
May 2025
The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan
July 2025
The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan
August 2025
Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision
October 2025
Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange
November 2025
180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE
Leaderboard
15 under: Paul Casey (ENG)
-14: Robert MacIntyre (SCO)
-13 Brandon Stone (SA)
-10 Laurie Canter (ENG) , Sergio Garcia (ESP)
-9 Kalle Samooja (FIN)
-8 Thomas Detry (BEL), Justin Harding (SA), Justin Rose (ENG)
