The first professional baseball league dedicated to the Middle East and South Asia has announced its first season and key events.
The Middle East’s first professional baseball league, Baseball United, is coming to Dubai. The league, which is dedicated to the Middle East and South Asia, has announced its first season. Alongside the season, the league will introduce the Baseball United Cup and a unique national team tournament, the Baseball United Arab Classic. Both events will take place in Dubai, UAE.
The first season will kick off next autumn and run from 23 October to 23 November 2025. It will feature five franchises: the Mumbai Cobras, Karachi Monarchs, Arabia Wolves, Mid East Falcons, and a Riyadh-based team to be announced early next year. Each team will play 12 regular season games, culminating in a best-of-three championship series between the top two teams. In total, the league will host 33 games over 32 days.
The Baseball United Cup will be held from 22 February to 1 March 2025. It will feature the Cobras, Monarchs, Wolves, and Falcons in an eight-day tournament. The teams will compete in a round-robin format, leading to the semi-finals and finals. This tournament will be the first professional franchise baseball event in the Middle East and South Asia, coming just over a year after Baseball United’s All-Star Showcase in Dubai.
“After nearly three years of dedicated effort and planning, we are pleased to announce the dates for the BU Cup and BU Season One,” said Kash Shaikh, Chairman, CEO, and Co-Founder of Baseball United. “Our team has worked diligently to build a sustainable ecosystem for professional baseball in this vibrant region. We are eager to welcome players and franchises to Dubai for both the BU Cup in February and our inaugural season next October. Most importantly, we look forward to sharing this sport with our enthusiastic fans in Dubai and beyond.”
Baseball United’s franchises include top-tier professional players from around the globe. The inaugural draft in October 2023 featured 70% of players previously drafted by Major League Baseball teams, including former MLB All-Stars and Gold Glove winners like Robinson Cano, Jair Jurrjens, and Andrelton Simmons. Roster updates will be available on the Baseball United website.
In addition to its professional games, Baseball United is committed to pushing local talent through the BU Arab Classic, which will showcase national teams from the region. This tournament will adhere to World Baseball Classic rules, with some regional modifications, and will feature eight countries, including India, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE. Scheduled for 7-10 November, this event will be the largest national team tournament in the region’s history.
Tickets for the Arab Classic will go on sale in September, while Baseball United Cup and Season One tickets will be available for VIP and season ticket purchases this winter. Fans can join the waitlist at baseballunited.com.
DSCVR: Baseball United sets the stage for Its first full season. @baseballunited
