110 players from across the region to participate
AccessAbilities Expo to Organise the First International Domino Championship for People with Visual Disabilities, 19–21 October
Trophies and cash prizes await the winning teams
President of the Arab Federation for the Blind: “The championship aims to showcase the sporting and intellectual abilities of people who are blind and visually impaired”
Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 28 September 2026:
AccessAbilities Expo, the largest exhibition of its kind in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia (MEASA) region, will organise the International Domino Championship for People with Visual Disabilities, which is planned to become an annual feature of the exhibition.
A total of 110 players from countries across the region will participate in the championship, which will be played in teams under a knockout format. Both professional and amateur players have expressed strong enthusiasm for taking part in the competition.
The championship is being organised for the first time as part of the 8th edition of AccessAbilities Expo, taking place from 19 to 21 October 2026 at Za’abeel Halls 4, 5 and 6 at Dubai World Trade Centre, under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, Chairman of Dubai Airports, and Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates Airline and Group.
The competition will take place over 3 days in a team format, with the finals scheduled for the closing day of the exhibition on 21 October. A special awards ceremony will follow to announce and honour the winning teams, in the presence of domino enthusiasts from the blind and visually impaired community as well as visitors to the exhibition.
Registration for the championship, which is being organised in cooperation with the Arab Federation for the Blind, has attracted strong interest, with 110 players registered to date from the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain and India.
Commenting on the championship, Dr Khalid bin Ali Al Nuaimi, President of the Arab Federation for the Blind, said: “Dominoes is a strategic game that people with visual disabilities can fully enjoy through specially designed tactile tiles, high-contrast tiles or audio-based digital applications. These accessible solutions enable people with visual disabilities to play independently while enjoying meaningful social interaction through the sense of touch.”
The organisers of AccessAbilities Expo have continued to expand the scope of the exhibition year after year, strengthening its role as a platform that connects businesses with
the community by introducing a diverse range of activities, competitions and interactive games designed for People of Determination, their families and caregivers.
Ghassan Suleiman, CEO of Nadd Al Shiba PR & Event Management and AccessAbilities Expo, said: “Organising this championship will help create a positive and sustainable impact within the community of people who are blind or have mild, moderate or severe visual impairment, who number more than 1.7 billion worldwide according to World Health Organization statistics. The championship will also highlight their abilities, determination, intellectual skills and sporting spirit.”
Dominoes is one of the world’s best-known and most widely played tabletop games. It also holds an important place as a sporting and cultural activity in many countries and enjoys widespread popularity across the Arab world, including the UAE. Today, world records can be achieved in more than 25 officially recognised domino categories. The UAE has previously set two world records: the first for the longest domino drop shot in 2016 and the second for the most dominoes toppled in a circle field within five seconds in 2018.
Dominoes is played using rectangular tiles marked with dots representing different numbers. Players match corresponding numbers and score points according to the rules of the game. Known for its simple rules and entertaining nature, dominoes is played in various formats across most parts of the world.
A traditional domino set usually consists of 28 flat, rectangular tiles made from materials such as bone, wood or plastic and remains the most used format, while larger sets may contain up to 190 tiles. In a traditional set, 27 tiles feature different combinations of dots and blank spaces. The game can be played by two or four players.