Tuesday 04 / August / 2026
Salalah: Acting in cooperation with the Ironman Group and the Middle East Global Events company, the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism on Tuesday held a press conference during which it announced that "Middle East Ironman 70.3 Championship for Teams" will be held in Dhofar Governorate on 24 October 2026. The championship constitutes part of “Experience Oman Ironman 70.3 Dhofar 2026” race being held in partnership with Hawana Salalah Resort, in conjunction with individual run competitions.
The race consists of three stages: A 1.9-km swim, a 90-km bike ride and a 21.1-km run. Individual racers take all three stages on their own, while team members share the race stages before coming together to cross the finish line.
Haitham bin Mohammed Al Ghassani, Director General of Tourism Promotion at the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism, said that launching the first Ironman 70.3 Championship for Teams, at the level of the Middle East, represents a new milestone in the Sultanate of Oman’s march to establish its status as a global destination for sports tourism.
“The event embodies the success of the strategic partnership between the Ministry and Ironman Group in hosting international sporting events. The championship also contributes to diversifying tourism activity, increasing the number of visitors and maximising economic revenue across different sectors,” Al Ghassani explained.
He added that the championship is in pursuance of the Ministry’s strategy aimed at attracting high-quality international tourism events that keep in line with the objectives of Oman Vision 2040.
For his part, Talal bin Hamid Al Khasaibi, Director General of Heritage and Tourism in Dhofar Governorate, said that hosting the championship stems from joint efforts to enhance the governorate’s position as an attractive tourist destination throughout the year.
Al Khasaibi pointed out that the championship provides an opportunity to showcase Dhofar Governorate's natural and cultural assets and unique tourism experiences. The event makes participation in the event an experience that goes beyond sports competition to supporting the tourism sector through high demand for hotel and tourism services.
Mohammed bin Khalfan Al Obaidani, CEO of Middle East International Events foundation, also underlined the significance of “Experience Oman Ironman 70.3 Championship for Teams--Dhofar”. The championship, he said, provides a new opportunity to participate in global Ironman races and allows wider segments of athletes and amateurs to experience team spirit.
Al Obaidani added that the championship provides a platform for public and private establishments to form teams to represent them. In addition, the event allows participants to interact with the world triathletes and gain international sports expertise.
For his part, Eng. Ashraf Naseem, CEO of Muriya company, said that hosting the Ironman 70.3 World Championship at Hawana Salalah for the 5th year in a row reflects the success of the partnership in consolidating the position of Dhofar Governorate as a leading destination for sports tourism. He expressed his delight at the governorate’s hosting the first edition of Experience Oman Ironman 70.3 Team Championship Dhofar for Teams, in partnership with Hawana Salalah.
