Seventeen countries · 400+ guides · Every fact checked, every page dated Founding Partners Advertise Partner with us TheMediterranean.com ↗[email protected]EN | العربية

TheMiddleEast.com The Digital Identity of the Middle East الشرق الأوسط

Concierge

Fireworks over the towers of Dubai Marina and Bluewaters

The Dubai Fountain lit gold at night beside Souk Al Bahar

Home›Experience›Events Calendar

Experience

Middle East Events Calendar, 2027 to 2040

Our Middle East events calendar maps the region's great occasions from 2027 to 2040, from Formula 1 nights and world-class art fairs to two FIFA World Cups and Expo 2030 Riyadh. Each year has its own page with dates, status labels, Ramadan and Eid timing, and the best hotels to book.

Updated October 18, 2026

Latest from the Calendar · Updated 10/24/2026

Calendar news

Good news on the region's great occasions: dates confirmed, tickets released, lineups announced. Checked daily against the organizers.

10/24/2026Cityscape Qatar 2026 More than 400 live projects from over 70 developers come to the Doha Exhibition and Convention Center, October 27 to 29, led by Qatari Diar, Qetaifan Projects and Barwa, with The Grove on Qetaifan Island North, designed by Zaha Hadid Architects, among the headline Luxury Real Estate launches. The Peninsula ›
10/24/2026Cairo International Book Fair 2027 Qatar will be Guest of Honor at the Cairo International Book Fair in January 2027, as Egypt and Greece become partner countries for the Years of Culture 2027. The Peninsula ›
10/23/2026Hexagon World Series Final, Abu Dhabi Abu Dhabi will host the season finale of the inaugural Hexagon World Series of padel in October 2027, with eight mixed-gender international teams, after legs in Madrid, North America and Scandinavia. TTN ›
10/23/2026Dubai Sports Calendar 2026-2027 The Dubai Sports Council has launched a season calendar of more than 500 events, including over 80 international championships, from the DP World Tour Championship (November 12 to 15) to the Dubai World Cup on March 27, 2027. It is free on the DubaiNow app. TTN ›
10/21/2026UAE Motorsport Month From November 5 to December 6, the UAE hosts six championship finales: the Dubai International Baja (November 5 to 8), the 35th Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge (November 22 to 27) and the Formula 1 and Formula 2 season finales at Yas Marina Circuit. TTN, from TradeArabia ›
10/21/2026UNIFYD Abu Dhabi 2027 The one-day music festival comes to Etihad Live on Yas Island on March 20, 2027, with a 15-artist lineup led by Arijit Singh, Karan Aujla and Sonu Nigam. Tickets are on sale on the District app. Khaleej Times ›
10/20/2026Global Village Season 31 Dubai's Global Village is open for its 31st season, "A More Wonderful World," with 29 pavilions, 3,500 shops, 250 places to eat and 40,000 shows through May 2027. Emirates 24|7 ›
10/19/2026Riyadh Season 2026 The seventh edition, "Big Time," opens October 21 with ten weeks of concerts, theater, sport and family attractions, and Boulevard World adds new country pavilions. Gulf News ›
10/19/2026Abu Dhabi Grand Prix The season finale runs December 4 to 6 at Yas Marina Circuit, with after-race concerts by Zara Larsson, Lewis Capaldi and Imagine Dragons. Race tickets include Yas Island theme park access. Visit Abu Dhabi ›
10/19/2026AFC Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2027 Tickets are on sale for the 51 matches in Riyadh, Jeddah and Al Khobar, January 7 to February 5, 2027. Saudi Arabia plays the opening match on January 7. Asian Football Confederation ›
10/19/2026Expo 2030 Riyadh Bahrain has signed its participation contract. More than 145 countries have now confirmed for the six-month Expo, October 1, 2030 to March 31, 2031, with 42 million visits expected. Zawya ›

At a glance

Events Calendar at a glance

Years covered: 2027 to 2040
Peak season: October to April
Mega-events: World Cup 2030 Morocco, Expo 2030 Riyadh, World Cup 2034 Saudi Arabia
Status labels: Confirmed, Scheduled, Expected, To be confirmed
Ramadan: Moves about 11 days earlier each year

A decade of great occasions

Few regions have committed to as many world events as the Middle East. Saudi Arabia hosts the AFC Asian Cup in 2027, Expo 2030 Riyadh and the FIFA World Cup in 2034. Morocco co-hosts the 2030 World Cup, Doha is scheduled for the Asian Games, Türkiye shares UEFA Euro 2032 with Italy, and both Qatar and Türkiye are candidates for the 2036 Olympics.

Around these sits a reliable annual calendar: Formula 1 under lights in Bahrain, Jeddah, Lusail and Abu Dhabi, the Dubai World Cup, Art Basel Qatar and Art Dubai, Riyadh Season, the Gulf's boat shows and Morocco's summer music festivals. Our pages separate what is confirmed from what is simply expected, so you can plan with confidence.

Formula One cars sweeping through the first corners of the Bahrain Grand Prix at Sakhir under evening light — Photo: emily faulk from Saudi Arabia · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Middle East events calendar

Middle East events calendar by year

Year	Headline events	Where things stand
2027	AFC Asian Cup, Saudi Arabia; FIBA Basketball World Cup, Doha; Turkish Grand Prix returns	Confirmed and Scheduled
2028	UCI Road World Championships, Abu Dhabi; Bahrain International Airshow	Confirmed
2029	Volleyball and track cycling world titles; FIFA Arab Cup, Qatar; 2036 Olympic host decision	To be confirmed
2030	FIFA World Cup, Morocco; Expo 2030 Riyadh; Asian Games, Doha	Confirmed (Asian Games to be confirmed)
2031	Expo 2030 Riyadh to March 31	Confirmed
2032	UEFA Euro 2032, Türkiye with Italy	To be confirmed
2033	FIFA Arab Cup, Qatar; odd-year biennales	To be confirmed
2034	FIFA World Cup, Saudi Arabia; Asian Games, Riyadh	Dates to be confirmed
2035	Recurring calendar; World Cup and Asian Games timing to be set	Expected
2036	Summer Olympics: Doha and Istanbul are candidates	Host to be decided
2037	Recurring calendar	Expected
2038	Recurring calendar	Expected
2039	Recurring calendar	Expected
2040	Recurring calendar; Vision 2040 milestones	Expected

Region's year, month by month

The region's year, month by month

These events recur every year (or every other year). Exact dates are published by organizers, usually a year ahead.

Month	Recurring highlights
January	Dakar Rally, Gulf golf swing, Art Basel Qatar, Al Hosn Festival
February	World Governments Summit, Saudi Cup, Gulf tennis, UAE Tour, Saudi Founding Day, Kuwait's national days
March	Bahrain and Saudi Grand Prix, Dubai World Cup
April–May	Art Dubai, Arabian Travel Market, Turkish Airlines Open
June–August	Morocco's music festivals, Istanbul Music and Jazz festivals, Jerash Festival, Esports World Cup in Riyadh
September	Saudi National Day; autumn biennales begin in odd years
October	Riyadh Season opens; Turkish Grand Prix (2027–2031)
November	Boat shows, Frieze Abu Dhabi, Dubai Design Week, Cityscape Global, DP World Tour Championship, film festivals
December	Qatar and Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, MDLBEAST Soundstorm, UAE, Bahrain and Qatar national days, Dubai Shopping Festival

Ramadan, Eid and planning

Ramadan, Eid and planning your dates

The Islamic calendar follows the moon, so Ramadan and the two Eids move about eleven days earlier each year: Ramadan falls in February and March in 2027, in midwinter by 2030 to 2032, and in October and September by the late 2030s. During Ramadan many restaurants serve by day only in hotels, hours are shorter and evenings come alive with iftar. The Eid holidays bring peak regional travel, so book early.

Our holidays and national days page gives approximate Islamic dates for every year to 2040, Jewish holidays in Israel and the national days of all seventeen countries, along with Ramadan travel tips. For weather, see the best time to visit the Middle East.

Booking around the big events

Hotels near the circuits, stadiums and fair grounds fill months ahead. Start with our finest hotels in the Middle East, add VIP experiences and private access, and consider arriving privately on the busiest weekends.

Major events also bring new districts, transit and landmarks. Investors can follow the opportunity in our guide to property near future landmarks and the Expo 2030 and World Cup 2034 page.

Questions travelers ask

What do the status labels mean?

Confirmed means the organizer has published dates. Scheduled means dates are on an official calendar but could still move. Expected means a recurring event listed by its usual month. To be confirmed means the event is planned but dates or venue are not yet set.

When is the best time for events in the Middle East?

October to April is the main season in the Gulf, with Formula 1, art fairs, golf, tennis and horse racing. Summer brings festivals to Morocco, Jordan and Türkiye, and the Esports World Cup to Riyadh.

Can I visit during Ramadan?

Yes. Hotels stay open, many serve daytime meals to guests, and the evenings are a highlight. Expect shorter business hours and some events to pause or move around the holy month.

Which mega-events are already confirmed?

The AFC Asian Cup 2027 in Saudi Arabia, the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 in Doha, the UCI Road World Championships 2028 in Abu Dhabi, the FIFA World Cup 2030 in Morocco with Spain and Portugal, and Expo 2030 Riyadh. The 2034 World Cup in Saudi Arabia is awarded, with dates to be confirmed.

About the datesConfirmed means the organizer has published dates. Scheduled means dates appear on an official calendar but may still move. Expected means the event recurs every year (or every other year) and is listed by its usual month. To be confirmed means the event is planned but dates or venue are not yet set. Always check with the organizer before you book.

Ultra-Luxury Real Estate · Own Here

From a stay to a home of your own

Across the Middle East, the finest resorts and the finest homes now sit side by side, and many international buyers own before they ever visit.

Ultra-Luxury Tourism & Ultra-Luxury Real Estate

Luxury Real Estate in the Middle EastEvery guide, country by country.The 66 TerritoriesEach with its Founding Partner Agency and Developer.Branded ResidencesHomes run to the standard of the world's finest hotels.Can Foreigners Buy Property?The rules in all fourteen countries.

Checked October 2026. Prices and dates are approximate and can change. See our standard.