AL AIN, UAE — The Cairo Nomads are going back to the desert. Egypt’s flagship ice hockey club has confirmed it will once again compete at the Union Classic, the international tournament held in Al Ain, United Arab Emirates — the same rink where the Nomads announced themselves to the region a year ago.
They arrive with a result to defend and a score to settle. In their last trip to Al Ain, the Nomads finished second place, reaching the championship game and skating off with silver.
Unfinished Business in Al Ain
Last year’s run was not a smooth one, which is exactly what made it memorable. The Nomads dropped their opening game 3-0 to Khanjar (Oman), then pushed the Cyber Bedouins (UAE) to a shootout before falling 2-1, and lost 5-1 to the Dubai Sandstorms in the group stage.
Then the tournament turned. Cairo found its game in the semifinal, beating Majan (Oman) 6-3 to book a place in the final — a game that also produced Omar Ashraf’s first goal for the club. The championship game brought a rematch with the Cyber Bedouins, and the Nomads came up just short in a tight 3-1 loss sealed by an empty-net goal.
Cairo also came home with individual recognition: Michael Mitrakos was named Defenseman of the Tournament.
“Silver is proof we’re on the right track — now we finish the job,” head coach Jay Bergatt said after that final. That line is the assignment this time around.
A New Look on the Ice
The Nomads will take the ice in Al Ain in their new uniforms, the first time the new sweaters will be worn in competition outside Egypt.
It is a small detail with a bigger meaning. A club that showed up to its first international tournament as an unknown quantity now travels with its own identity, its own colours, and a regional field that knows exactly who the Nomads are. Club and league gear is available in the EHL shop.
Why It Matters
The Union Classic remains one of the most competitive gatherings of club hockey in the region, drawing sides from Oman, the UAE, and beyond. For the Egyptian Hockey League, sending a club into that field year after year is how a young hockey nation earns its place: not through one good weekend, but through showing up again.
A second trip to Al Ain measures how far the programme has come in twelve months — in depth, in conditioning, and in the ability to play a full tournament rather than a hot semifinal.
Follow the Nomads
Game reports, results, and photos from Al Ain will be posted throughout the tournament. Catch up on last year’s run in Cairo Nomads Take Silver at Union Classic in the UAE, and follow the club on its team page.
