Dubai World Cup Carnival 2026/27 - Meydan Preview and Key Race Dates

Conrad Castleton

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Last updated: Fri 06 Nov 2026 14:33

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Conrad Castleton 3 hours ago

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The 2026/27 Dubai Racing Carnival at Meydan starts in November and ends with Dubai World Cup Night on 27 March 2027
Major races include the Al Maktoum Challenge, Dubai Sheema Classic, and Dubai Golden Shaheen
Early season races like the Dubai Creek Mile and Al Garhoud Sprint provide form clues

Meydan racecourse. (Getty)

Meydan will stage another exciting programme of racing this winter, as leading horses from around the world head to Meydan for the Dubai World Cup Carnival.

The 2026/27 Dubai Racing Carnival gets underway in November, with several good races taking place before the main international action gathers pace in the New Year.

Fashion Friday and Super Saturday are the standout fixtures during the build-up to Dubai World Cup night. The season will reach its climax on Saturday 27th March 2027, when Meydan hosts the Dubai World Cup.

Here’s our overview of the Carnival, along with the key dates to add to your calendar.

Dubai Racing Carnival 2026/27 Schedule

All meetings take place at Meydan. This table focuses on the main feature races rather than every fixture.

Date	Meeting / highlights	Key races
November 20th 2026	Dubai Creek Mile Day	Dubai Creek Mile
December 4th 2026	Al Garhoud Sprint Day	Al Garhoud Sprint
December 18th 2026	Festive Friday	Al Maktoum Mile, Al Rashidiya, Ertijaal Dubai Dash
January 1st 2027	New Year’s Day	Zabeel Mile, Dubawi Stakes
January 15th 2027	Cape Verdi Day	Cape Verdi
January 22nd 2027	Fashion Friday	Al Maktoum Challenge, Jebel Hatta, UAE 2000 Guineas, Al Fahidi Fort, Blue Point Sprint
February 19th 2027	Balanchine Day	Balanchine, Nad Al Sheba Trophy, Dubai Road to the Kentucky Derby
February 27th 2027	Emirates Super Saturday	Al Maktoum Classic, Singspiel Stakes, Dubai City of Gold, Burj Nahaar, Mahab Al Shimaal, Nad Al Sheba Turf Sprint, UAE Fillies’ Mile
March 27th 2027	Dubai World Cup Night	Dubai World Cup, Dubai Sheema Classic, Dubai Turf, Dubai Golden Shaheen, Al Quoz Sprint, UAE Derby, Godolphin Mile, Dubai Gold Cup, Dubai Kahayla Classic

Dates and race programmes are subject to change.

Pre-Christmas Action

The Dubai Creek Mile and Al Garhoud Sprint provide early targets for the dirt horses in November and December. Both should give punters a chance to identify runners worth following as the season develops.

The first major meeting arrives on December 18th. Festive Friday features the Group Two Al Maktoum Mile on dirt and Al Rashidiya on turf, with the Ertijaal Dubai Dash adding further interest for sprint fans.

Dubai World Cup Carnival 2027

The Zabeel Mile and Dubawi Stakes headline New Year’s Day at Meydan, before the Cape Verdi follows on January 15th. Fashion Friday takes place a week later, with the Group One Al Maktoum Challenge and Jebel Hatta topping a strong card that also features the UAE 2000 Guineas, Al Fahidi Fort and Blue Point Sprint.

The Balanchine, Nad Al Sheba Trophy and Dubai Road to the Kentucky Derby take place on February 19th, eight days before Emirates Super Saturday.

The Al Maktoum Classic, Singspiel Stakes and Dubai City of Gold headline Super Saturday, offering plenty of clues ahead of World Cup night. The card also features the UAE Fillies’ Mile, a Listed contest that replaces the UAE Oaks this season.

Dubai World Cup Night Dates

All roads lead to Meydan for Dubai World Cup Night on Saturday 27th March, when the Dubai World Cup tops a superb international card. The 2000m dirt contest carries a prize fund of $12m.

The Dubai Sheema Classic and Dubai Turf are the main attractions on grass. Sprinters will contest the Dubai Golden Shaheen on dirt and Al Quoz Sprint on turf, while the UAE Derby, Godolphin Mile and Dubai Gold Cup add further quality.