ABU DHABI, 17th August, 2026 (WAM) -- The opening matchweek of the 2026-27 ADNOC Pro League witnessed a first in UAE professional football, as winners of last season’s best awards took to the pitch wearing special badges on the sleeves of their shirts, representing the honours they received at the UAE Pro League Awards ceremony on 10 August.
The initiative included the winners of the Golden Ball Award, the Golden Glove Award, the Fans’ Player of the Year Award, the Golden Shoe – ADNOC Pro League Top Scorer award, and the Golden Shoe – ADIB Cup Top Scorer award.
Each winner now wears a distinctive badge representing his achievement during official matches.
The badges attracted attention from their first appearance, adding a distinctive feature to the players’ shirts and allowing fans and viewers to immediately recognise the stars who claimed some of the leading individual honours last season.
The initiative takes the recognition of award winners beyond the awards ceremony and onto the pitch, turning their achievements into a lasting tribute throughout the new season. The badges ensure that those accomplishments remain visible during matches while further enhancing the significance and value of the awards.
The initiative also provides additional motivation for players across the league, with individual excellence now visibly recognised on the pitch. It encourages greater competition for the awards while motivating previous winners to maintain their high standards and continue delivering outstanding performances.
The move forms part of the UAE Pro League’s efforts to strengthen the profile of its individual awards, promote a culture of excellence and competition, create a distinctive identity for award winners, and bring fans closer to the leading stars of its competitions.
The badges made their debut during a historic opening round that produced 33 goals across seven matches, an average of 4.71 goals per game. It was the highest-scoring opening round since the professional era began in 2008-09, surpassing the previous record of 31 goals set in the opening matchweek of the 2018-19 season.
The outstanding performances of the league’s stars added further excitement to the opening weekend, as the debut of the special badges coincided with a new goalscoring record.