The 2018 World Taekwondo season is set to reach its conclusion in Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates with the Grand Prix Final being followed by the Team Championships and Gala Awards ©World Taekwondo

The 2018 World Taekwondo season is set to reach its conclusion in Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates with the Grand Prix Final being followed by the Team Championships and Gala Awards.

It will be the first time any of the three events have been held in the Middle East.

Azerbaijan’s capital Baku played host to them all in 2016, while last year’s events were staged in Abidjan in the Ivory Coast.

With Tokyo 2020 looming ever closer, valuable ranking points are up for grabs as the world’s top 16 fighters in eight Olympic weight categories - four male and four female - gather to do battle in the Grand Prix Final.

In all, 127 athletes from 39 countries are set to take to the mats at the Zayed Sport Complex.

The competition is due to be staged tomorrow and Friday (November 23).

The fifth annual World Taekwondo Gala Awards are scheduled to be held on Friday evening at Fujairah National Theatre.

Awards will be presented in the categories of male and female player of the year, coach of the year, male and female referee of the year, member national association of the year, and kick of the year.

South Korea's Lee Dae-hoon and Great Britain's Bianca Walkden were crowned the respective male and female athlete of the year for 2017.

South Korea's Lee Dae-hoon and Great Britain's Bianca Walkden, pictured with World Taekwondo President Chungwon Choue, were crowned male and female athlete of the year at the 2017 World Taekwondo Gala Awards ©World Taekwondo
South Korea's Lee Dae-hoon and Great Britain's Bianca Walkden, pictured with World Taekwondo President Chungwon Choue, were crowned male and female athlete of the year at the 2017 World Taekwondo Gala Awards ©World Taekwondo

Two new award categories will also feature this year: "Taekwondo Cares" and "Grand Prix Final Best Volunteers".

The World Taekwondo Team Championships are due to take place at the Zayed Sport Complex on Saturday (November 24) and Sunday (November 25).

Medals are up for grabs in male, female and mixed categories.

Eight teams are competing in men’s category with Iran, Russia and South Korea considered the leading contenders.

China, Morocco and South Korea are the three nations with the strongest teams out of the six competing in the women’s category.

The top-ranked teams in the mixed-gender division are China, Russia and South Korea.

"The end of the competition season is always the most exciting part of it, as we run this triad of great events, one after another," World Taekwondo President Chungwon Choue said.

"And as taekwondo expands its geographic reach ever further, it is great to be holding these top-tier events in Fujairah.

"The Middle East is an up-and-coming region for our sport."