Dubai, UAE: LuLu Exchange, in association with the Dubai Sports Council, has officially launched the Kabayan Basketball League, the largest basketball tournament ever dedicated to the Filipino community in the UAE, created to connect and engage Kabayans across the country.
Born out of a shared belief in the power of sport to bring people together, the league represents one of the most ambitious community sporting platforms of its kind. Delivered in association with the Dubai Sports Council and aligned with the Proud of UAE initiative, the league reflects the nation’s commitment to supporting and uplifting the communities that call it home.
LuLu Exchange has formally opened team registrations with free spectator passes now available at customer engagement centres across the country. The season will be played out at two of Dubai’s premier indoor venues, Dubai Sports World and Shabab Al Ahli Indoor Stadium. Collect your free pass from any LuLu Exchange customer engagement center and unlock exclusive rewards & priority access.
Built around the Filipino community’s deep and enduring love for basketball, the league will welcome 100 teams, with each team comprising a 15-member contingent, including a coach. A panel will then shortlist 24 finalist teams, which will compete in a series of high-intensity matches, culminating in the crowning of the league’s first-ever champions.
The full tournament schedule and match calendar are available on the LuLu Exchange website.
In line with the UAE National Strategy for Wellbeing, the league provides the Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW) community with access to premium sporting facilities, creating opportunities to promote mental wellbeing, work-life balance and the simple joy of playing and watching basketball together.
A total prize pool of AED 25,000 will reward the tournament’s top-performing teams. The champions will receive AED 12,000, while the runners-up will receive AED 7000. The third- and fourth-place teams will receive AED 4000 and AED 2000 respectively.
Sharing his thoughts on the league, Mr. Thampi Sudarsanan, CEO of LuLu Exchange, said: “The Kabayan Basketball League reflects our commitment to building meaningful connections with the Filipino community and creating experiences that reach beyond financial services. Basketball runs deep in the Filipino spirit and this league gives that passion a stage of its own as a place where kabayans can compete, celebrate and come together as one. We are proud to build it alongside the Dubai Sports Council.”
The league will also create opportunities for wider community participation beyond the matches. Fans can collect free passes from their nearest LuLu Exchange customer engagement centre and head to Dubai Sports World or Shabab Al Ahli Indoor Stadium to watch the tournament’s most exciting matches live, with thousands of fellow Kabayans in the stands. An on-site LuLu Exchange kiosk will also be available to assist walk-in visitors with registrations and enquiries.
About LuLu Exchange
LuLu Exchange is one of the UAE’s most established providers of foreign exchange and remittance services with a network of 170+ customer engagement centres across the UAE. Founded on the principles of accessibility, reliability and customer trust, the company has grown in step with the nation’s pace, expanding its footprint while staying close to the communities it serves. Each year, millions of customers rely on its extensive branch network and the LuLu Money App, which enables fast and secure international transfers from anywhere in the country. The company is part of LuLu Financial Holdings, a diversified financial services group with operations across the Middle East, Asia and beyond.
