Tennis21–24 October 2026Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Six Kings Slam
An exhibition draw that reliably pulls the biggest names in men’s tennis into the Gulf. Short format, star power, evening sessions.
Evening sessions, UAE time.
UAE events calendar
What to watch in the UAE — and when
The big events coming up across the Gulf and beyond, in UAE time. Get set up before they start, not during the first half.
Dates follow the organisers' published schedules. Viewing-time notes are approximate; check the official schedule for the exact start time and convert it to UAE time (UTC+4). Dates and broadcast availability can change.
Combat24 October 2026Etihad Arena, Abu Dhabi
UFC 333
The UFC returns to Abu Dhabi. A home-market event, which means the main card lands at a genuinely watchable hour for UAE viewers rather than the early hours.
Main card late evening UAE time — Abu Dhabi is the host, so no timezone penalty.
How to watch in the UAEFootball25 October 2026Spain
El Clásico — Barcelona v Real Madrid
The single biggest club fixture in world football, and the biggest one-night traffic spike of the La Liga season in the UAE.
Late evening UAE time — Spanish kickoffs fall at night here.
How to watch in the UAECombat31 October 2026Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Canelo Álvarez v Mbilli
Riyadh’s run of major fight nights continues. Boxing main events in Saudi Arabia land at a comfortable UAE hour.
Late evening UAE time.
Combat7 November 2026Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
WWE Crown Jewel
WWE’s annual Saudi Arabia premium live event. Consistently one of the most-watched imported events in the region.
Evening UAE time.
Football19 November – 13 December 2026Qatar
FIFA U-17 World Cup
A full youth World Cup on the Gulf’s doorstep — 48 teams, a month of fixtures, and a steady stream of matches at Gulf-friendly hours.
Matches spread across the day; Gulf host means no timezone penalty.
Cricket21/22 November – 20 December 2026 (opening date TBC)UAE
ILT20
The UAE’s own franchise T20 league, played in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah. A month of nightly cricket in prime-time UAE hours.
Nightly evening matches, UAE time.
Official organiser pages currently list different opening dates (21 and 22 November). Check the final match schedule before planning.
How to watch in the UAEMotorsport27–29 November 2026Lusail, Qatar
Formula 1 — Qatar Grand Prix
The first of the season’s two Gulf rounds, under lights at Lusail.
Evening race, UAE time.
Scheduling for this round has been subject to a late-season review — confirm the date before planning around it.
Motorsport4–6 December 2026Yas Marina, Abu Dhabi
Formula 1 — Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
The season finale, and the biggest annual motorsport event in the UAE. Yas Marina under lights, decided in front of a home crowd.
Evening race, UAE time — the host city.
Scheduling for this round has been subject to a late-season review — confirm the date before planning around it.
How to watch in the UAECombat11 December 2026Principality Stadium, Cardiff, UK
Tyson Fury v Anthony Joshua
The all-British heavyweight fight that has been years in the making. Expect the biggest boxing search volume of the winter.
Ring walks are typically after midnight UAE time for US/UK-hosted cards.
How to watch in the UAEBasketball25 December 2026United States
NBA Christmas Day
The NBA’s showcase slate. Note for UAE viewers: these tip off overnight, so plan for a late one.
Overnight into 26 December, UAE time.
Football7 January – 5 February 2027Saudi Arabia
AFC Asian Cup 2027
The biggest football tournament in Asia, hosted next door — and the UAE have qualified, drawn with South Korea and Vietnam. A month of near-daily matches at Gulf-friendly hours.
Evening kickoffs, UAE time.
How to watch in the UAETennis11–31 January 2027Melbourne, Australia
Australian Open
The first Grand Slam of the year. Melbourne’s timezone puts the marquee sessions in the UAE morning — a genuinely different viewing pattern from the rest of this list.
Morning to early afternoon, UAE time.
How to watch in the UAESeasonalFrom 8 February 2027 (subject to moon sighting)UAE
Ramadan begins
The single biggest viewing month of the Gulf year. Drama series, religious programming and family content all peak at once, and evening viewing runs much later than usual.
Viewing peaks after iftar, late evening UAE time.
A projected date pending the official UAE moon sighting — it can move by a day.
UAE government holiday information
How to watch in the UAEAmerican Football14 February 2027United States
Super Bowl LXI
Kicks off in the early hours of Monday morning UAE time. A dedicated crowd here watches it live anyway — and the half-time show pulls in plenty more.
Early hours of the following Monday, UAE time.
Tennis14–27 February 2027Dubai, UAE
Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships
The UAE’s own ATP and WTA stop, and a fixture on the tour calendar for three decades. Centre-court sessions run through the evening.
Afternoon and evening sessions, UAE time.
SeasonalAround 9–12 March 2027 (subject to moon sighting)UAE
Eid al-Fitr holidays
The long Eid break, when UAE viewing shifts to family and children’s content and a lot of people are at home during the day.
All-day viewing through the break.
Projected, pending the official UAE moon sighting.
Motorsport12–14 March 2027Sakhir, Bahrain
Formula 1 — Bahrain Grand Prix
A Gulf season opener, run at night. The most convenient F1 start time of the year for UAE viewers.
Evening race, UAE time.
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Football & cricket
League football, internationals, the Asian Cup and the UAE’s own T20 league.
Fights & motorsport
UFC, boxing cards and both Gulf Formula 1 rounds, including Abu Dhabi.
Arabic & family TV
Arabic drama, news, kids’ channels and the Ramadan schedule when it lands.
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