One morning, 30 companies, 24,155 supporters: what Dubai 2026 taught us about engagement

On Saturday 31 October 2026, Pink Ladies Games and Hercules Trophy shared one field at The Sevens Stadium in Dubai. 571 players in 113 teams took part, from 30 companies and 11 communities, followed by 24,155 supporters. Teams came from Emirates, Microsoft UAE, CMA CGM, Samsung, Al Tayer, Hilti UAE, Estée Lauder, Veolia, GIG Gulf, Medcare, SWIFT and Lucky Group, among others.

We measured the morning from the first ticket to the last cheer, on our own platform, Tornea. We expected the numbers to tell us how the day went. They told us something more useful: where engagement actually comes from. Five lessons.

1. The sidelines are bigger than the field

The number that surprised us most was not on the pitch. 24,155 people backed the teams in the app: more than 40 for every player. They sent 24,934 cheers, and 5,125 of them took the time to write a personal message. The busiest day was not the event itself but the day before, with 6,678 cheers.

The most-cheered team, GF Pink Warriors from GF Corys Piping Systems, collected 3,159. One colleague wrote to the GIG Pink Squad: "Proud to work alongside such an inspiring group of women." No internal campaign can buy that sentence. Engagement travels through people's own networks: families, friends and clients saw an employer at its best.

2. The event lasts a morning, the engagement five weeks

The teams had been playing long before they reached the stadium. 91% of players were active in the app, across 5,519 sessions. 69 of the 113 teams took on missions, and 356 photos and videos were approved. Teams threw 246 challenges at each other.

A team that has spent a month choosing its name, its roles and its rivals arrives invested. The roles they picked say it all: 46 Mood Lifters, 37 Hype Machines, 35 Secret Weapons and 19 Chief Excuse Officers.

3. Inclusion is a design choice

The players came from 37 nationalities and spoke 36 languages between them. They ranged from under 25 to over 55; the biggest group was 35 to 44. Twelve women who signed up alone were matched into teams with people they had never met.

None of that happens by accident. The battles reward teamwork and strategy, not fitness, and each lasts about fifteen minutes. In a country of more than 200 nationalities, a format that works for everyone is not a detail. It is the point.

The same logic opened one more door. This year 16 mixed teams, powered by our brother format Hercules Trophy, played next to 97 ladies teams, and the format worked just as well for them. So from now on, Pink Ladies Games welcomes mixed teams as well as ladies teams.

4. A small company can beat a big one

The 30 companies came from 17 industries and together employ more than 600,000 people. Seven had more than 1,000 employees; five had fewer than 250. On the field, that difference disappeared. Emirates won Pink Ladies Games with The Pink Pilots #2, ahead of TripleFast Middle East and CMA CGM. Lucky Group took first and second place at Hercules Trophy, ahead of Media One Hotel. Tips & Toes Beauty and Spa Centre, part of Omorfia Group, was named Best Company Team.

Beside them played 11 communities with 20 teams: the Abu Dhabi Jets dragon boaters, British Mums with four teams, the HOPE charity with three, TiE Dubai, the Belgian Club, and padel, hiking, riding and fitness groups. People who would never meet at work met on the same pitch.

5. The best partners give, not just show

47 partners backed the day. Twelve of them filled the goodie bags with 9,500 products: about AED 679 in every bag, more than three times what the average player paid for her seat. Others gave raffle and award prizes, ran stands in the marketplace, or brought health and awareness to the field, like Pink Caravan.

The visibility followed by itself: 1.3 million views on social media in the run-up, and 29 outside channels reaching more than 2 million people, from a Dubai Eye interview to a Dubai Fitness Challenge after-reel. But what players remember is what ended up in their hands.

The same idea since 1999

Dubai 2026 is one edition in a long line. Since 1999, Hercules Trophy and Pink Ladies Games have run 177 editions in 10 countries, with 48,587 players from 3,039 companies. In the UAE, 18 editions since 2011 have brought 4,381 players onto the field. Behind all of it is still one family business.

What comes next

Our ambition is to grow Pink Ladies Games, open to ladies and mixed teams, into a series across the emirates, with editions in places like Abu Dhabi and Sharjah and a finale in Pink Month every October. Further out, our agreement with Pink Ribbon International could bring the format to other countries.

Every edition we run will be measured the same way. If you work on bringing people together, in a company or a community, we would love to compare notes.

Frequently asked questions

What were Pink Ladies Games and Hercules Trophy Dubai 2026?

Two team events on one morning, Saturday 31 October 2026, at The Sevens Stadium in Dubai: Pink Ladies Games for ladies teams, Hercules Trophy for mixed teams. 571 players in 113 teams took part.

Which companies took part?

30 companies from 17 industries, including Emirates, Microsoft UAE, CMA CGM, Samsung, Al Tayer, Hilti UAE, Estée Lauder, Veolia, GIG Gulf, Medcare, SWIFT and Lucky Group.

Who won?

Pink Ladies Games: The Pink Pilots #2 from Emirates. Hercules Trophy: Lucky - Spartans from Lucky Group.

Is Pink Ladies Games only for women?

Not any more. Ladies teams remain at its heart, and from now on mixed teams are welcome too. In 2026, 16 mixed teams played next to 97 ladies teams, powered by our brother format Hercules Trophy.

What is Herculean Alliance?

The company behind Hercules Trophy, Pink Ladies Games and Bravos. It has run team and engagement events since 1999.

What is Tornea?

Herculean Alliance's own engagement platform. Teams build their identity, take on missions and collect cheers before and during an event, and every step is measured.

How was the impact measured?

Every ticket, mission entry, cheer and app session was recorded on Tornea. Mission entries counted only after a check. Age and nationality count only for players who chose to share them.

Figures from the Pink Ladies Games & Hercules Trophy impact report, as of 10 November 2026. The players' own story of the day is on pinkladiesgames.ae.