Emirates Dubai 7s returns to The Sevens Stadium later this month, bringing international rugby, community sport and live music to the final weekend of November.
The festival runs from Friday, 27 November to Sunday, 29 November. Organisers say 28 teams and 70 matches are scheduled across the weekend. The tournament also opens the 2026/27 HSBC SVNS season, which makes Dubai the first stop on the global sevens calendar.
The weekend coincides with the final days of the Dubai Fitness Challenge, which ends on 29 November, and comes just before the UAE National Day holiday on 2 and 3 December.
What Is Emirates Dubai 7s?
Emirates Dubai 7s is an annual rugby sevens tournament and community sports festival held at The Sevens Stadium on the Dubai–Al Ain Road (E66).
Organisers say the event has been part of Dubai’s sporting calendar for more than five decades. Last year’s edition drew more than 88,000 visitors.
Alongside elite international rugby, the weekend hosts amateur and community competitions. Netball, cricket, fitness and padel are all on the programme.
How Does 2026 Compare With Last Year?
This year’s festival keeps the same three-day format but adds several new elements:
• More international rugby: HSBC SVNS 3 joins the programme for the first time, adding 12 teams on Friday.
• A sixth sport: Gaelic football makes its debut, joining rugby, netball, cricket, fitness and padel.
• More for families: an inflatable kids’ zone, a Ferris wheel and a zip line are new for 2026.
• Same prices: organisers say ticket prices are unchanged for the third year in a row.
• A new headliner: Frequency on 8 featured Shaggy, Sean Paul and FISHER in 2025. This year, Akon headlines on Saturday.
HSBC SVNS Season Starts in Dubai
Dubai is round one of the 2026/27 HSBC SVNS Series. Eight men’s and eight women’s teams will compete in the main competition across Saturday and Sunday. The finals and trophy presentation take place on Sunday, 29 November.
HSBC SVNS 3 adds six men’s and six women’s teams, with play beginning on Friday.
The pools for the main competition are:
• Men’s Pool A: South Africa, Australia, Argentina, US
• Men’s Pool B: New Zealand, Fiji, Spain, France
• Women’s Pool A: Australia, France, Spain, US
• Women’s Pool B: New Zealand, Fiji, Japan, Canada
New Zealand won both the men’s and women’s titles in Dubai in 2025.
After Dubai, the series moves to Cape Town on 5–6 December. It then continues to Singapore, Perth, Vancouver and New York in early 2027.
“Emirates Dubai 7s has long been an important fixture on the international rugby sevens calendar,” said Sam Pinder, World Rugby Sevens World Series General Manager.
Mohammed Alzaabi, Secretary-General of the UAE Rugby Federation, said the federation was “proud to be part of Emirates Dubai 7s”, describing it as “an iconic event”.
Gaelic Football Joins the Line-Up
This year’s festival introduces its first Gaelic football tournament, which becomes the sixth sport on the programme.
The tournament is seven-a-side, with two seven-minute halves. Squads are made up of 10 players and two management staff. It is invitational, and every team must be affiliated with Middle East GAA. Teams will compete in four categories: Elite Men, Elite Women, Open Men and Open Women.
What Is New for Families?
The 2026 edition adds an inflatable kids’ zone, which organisers describe as the largest in the UAE, along with a Ferris wheel and a zip line.
“What makes Emirates Dubai 7s special is the mix of people and communities it brings together,” said Mathew Tait, Festival Director of Emirates Dubai 7s.
“We’ve expanded that experience again for 2026, particularly for families as the UAE celebrates the ‘year of the family’,” Tait said.
Friday entry is free for children under 15. For more ideas, see our family activities coverage.
Live Music Across the Weekend
• Akon: Saturday, 28 November, Frequency on 8 (read our Akon story)
• Melanie C: Saturday, 28 November, Beats on 2
• Jax Jones: Sunday, 29 November, Beats on 2
• Sunday Frequency on 8 headliner: still to be announced
Tribute acts will also perform on the Rugby Rocks and Backyard stages, according to the official music page.
Emirates Dubai 7s Ticket Prices
Prices below are from the official tickets page.
• Friday entry: AED 75 (under-15s free)
• Saturday or Sunday day pass: AED 455
• Three-day general admission: AED 595
• Three-day family pass (two adults, two children): AED 1,136
• Group three-day pass (six or more adults): AED 446 per person
• Weekend reserved grandstand seat: AED 695 standard, AED 825 premium
• Children (Saturday, Sunday and three-day): AED 40 for ages 4 to 9, AED 115 for ages 10 to 14, free for under-4s with registration
• Sunroom hospitality: from AED 1,925 per day
Tickets for People of Determination and their carers are available through the official website and app, according to the accessibility page.
Practical Tips Before You Go
• Friday is the lowest-cost day. Entry is AED 75 and under-15s go free, which suits families planning a shorter visit.
• Book Sunday early. Sunday day passes are already listed as limited availability.
• Pick the right day for the music. Akon and Melanie C are on Saturday; Jax Jones is on Sunday.
• Plan your journey home. The free festival bus runs until 1.30am, after the evening headline sets.
How to Get to The Sevens Stadium
There are 15,000 parking spaces on site for ticket holders, according to organisers.
A free festival bus runs on Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 7pm to 1.30am, every 15 minutes. It connects the stadium with DMCC Metro (JLT), Dubai Sports City, Dubai Studio City, Financial Centre Metro and Dubai Duty Free Tennis Stadium.
Taxis have a dedicated drop-off point, and the taxi rank is at the main exit.
More to Do in Dubai This Month
• Icons of Porsche Dubai returns for its sixth edition on 21–22 November.
• Trevor Noah plays two nights at Dubai Opera on 25 and 26 November.
• Mariah Carey brings her Christmas show to Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi on 12 December.
See all our Dubai events 2026 coverage. For more news and events across the UAE, visit Dubai.News.
Need to know
• Dates: Friday, 27 November to Sunday, 29 November 2026
• Venue: The Sevens Stadium, Dubai–Al Ain Road (E66)
• Tickets: From AED 75 (Friday); day passes AED 455
• Rugby: HSBC SVNS round one; HSBC SVNS 3 debuts on Friday
• Music: Akon and Melanie C (Saturday); Jax Jones (Sunday)
• Getting there: Free festival bus, 7pm to 1.30am, every 15 minutes
