Gold's Gym International last month announced the signing of a master franchise that will expand its brand into the Middle East.

The Abu Dhabi-based Al Ahli Holding Group (AAHG) has signed a deal with the Texas-based Gold's Gym chain to open 26 clubs in the UAE, Oman, Qatar and Bahrain.

The deal also provides an option for Al Ahli to operate a further 66 clubs across a total of 13 additional countries in Africa and the Middle East. Al Ahli could potentially become the largest Gold's Gym master franchisee in the world.

Gold's Gym was founded in 1965 as a weightlifting shop in Venice, California, and has long been popular with celebrities such as Arnold Schwarzenegger, Tiger Woods, Hilary Swank, Keanu Reeves and Jessica Alba. It now has 700 gyms in 28 countries.

AAHG is a family-owned company with interests in sectors from plastic manufacturing to printing and publishing, transportation, engineering and real estate and the Dubai Outlet Mall.