Arena Market: United Arab Emirates

As international artists resume global touring and regional talent takes on new prominence, Dubai and Abu Dhabi have established themselves as complementary anchors in a fast-developing regional circuit.

In Dubai, the Coca-Cola Arena (6,000–17,000 capacity) reports a packed calendar across sport and live music, with strong growth in Arabic-language programming. “It may seem the headlines
go to Western acts,” says general manager Mark Jan Kar, “but the real growth is in Arabic and other regional content – Turkish, Iranian, Filipino, Iraqi, Greek.” The venue has already confirmed 23 Arabic shows for 2025, with several more in discussion.

Arabic shows now routinely feature large-format productions, often with full orchestras, mixed-bill programming, and unique operational needs. “We’re seeing 147-piece orchestras, male-female collaborations, three-hour runtimes, intermissions…it completely changes how we present the…

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