October’s NBA preseason will see the league play in Abu Dhabi for the second straight yr and return to Madrid for the primary time since 2016.

The Dallas Mavericks and Minnesota Timberwolves will tip off the preseason with two video games (Oct. 5 and Oct. 7) at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi as a part of the league’s multi-year partnership fashioned final yr with the UAE’s tradition and tourism division. The NBA’s return to the UAE comes as neighboring nation Qatar led the first sovereign wealth fund to purchase into a significant U.S. sports activities crew in June, investing within the mum or dad firm of the NBA’s Washington Wizards and NHL’s Washington Capitals. 

In February, Bloomberg reported that Abu Dhabi’s state-owned Mubadala Capital was in investing in an NBA crew. The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority is among the world’s richest sovereign wealth funds, with an estimated $853 billion value of property beneath administration. UFC fights have been held in Abu Dhabi since 2010.

Oil-rich Middle Eastern international locations proceed to pour billions into sports activities. Saudi Arabia lately added an fairness stake within the Professional Fighters League because the Saudi Pro League’s soccer spending spree and LIV Golf’s potential PGA Tour merger proceed to upend the worldwide sports activities business. Qatar, which owns the French soccer membership PSG, lately purchased the World Padel Tour.

The Mavericks will play a preseason recreation in opposition to reigning EuroLeague champion Real Madrid within the Spanish capital on October 10, marking 35 years for the reason that NBA’s first video games in Spain in 1988. Professional groups from New Zealand, Brazil, and Israel are additionally scheduled to journey to the U.S. this October to play preseason video games in opposition to NBA groups.