The United Arab Emirates is going to have a lot of holidays in 2026. There will be least 12 official public holidays throughout the year. The United Arab Emirates holiday calendar includes Islamic festivals and national celebrations. Some of these holidays will give people weekends. The United Arab Emirates has a mix of fixed and non- holidays. Some holidays are. Follow the regular calendar.. Other holidays, like Eid Al Fitr and Eid Al Adha depend on when the moon is seen and the Islamic calendar. This means that the final dates for these holidays are only confirmed close to the time.
New Year and Early Year Breaks
The year 2026 will start with New Year’s Day on Thursday, January 1 2026. This could give people a weekend depending on their work schedule. After people will celebrate Eid Al Fitr. Eid Al Fitr is expected to be from Thursday, March 19 to Sunday, March 22. This will be one of the big holiday breaks of the year for people who work in the public and private sectors.
Eid Al Adha 2026: Expected Six-Day Long Weekend
One of the breaks of the year will be Eid Al Adha. Eid Al Adha is expected to start on Tuesday, May 26 2026 with Arafat Day. Then the main Eid Al Adha holidays will be from Wednesday, May 27 to Friday, May 29. If you add the weekend to this people could have a six-day break. This would be one of the holidays of the year in the United Arab Emirates. But the final dates will only be confirmed after the moon is seen. The dates might change a bit.
UAE National Day in December
The year will end with UAE National Day. UAE National Day is expected to be on Wednesday and Thursday December 2 and 3 2026. This is one of the important national holidays in the United Arab Emirates. It celebrates the formation of the United Arab Emirates. Sometimes the government adds days off to make a longer weekend but they usually confirm this closer to the date.
Public and Private Sector Holiday Structure
In the United Arab Emirates most public holidays apply to both government and private sector employees.. There is some flexibility. If a holiday falls in the middle of the week it might be moved to create a weekend. The law also allows local authorities to add days off if they need to. The public sector usually follows the announcements but private companies might adjust their schedules based on what they need.
Year of Long Weekends and Flexible Breaks
Overall 2026 is going to have a lot of weekends and extended breaks. Eid Al Adha and Eid Al Fitr will give people some time off. The United Arab Emirates holiday calendar has a mix of Islamic and national holidays throughout the year. This means that people will have a balance of work and rest. The final dates, for the holidays will depend on when the moon’s seen and what the government says.
UAE Holidays 2026 (Expected Dates)
| Holiday Name | Expected Dates | Day(s) | Duration | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eid Al Adha (Arafat Day + Eid Holidays) | May 26 – May 29, 2026 | Tuesday – Friday | 4 Days (Up to 6 Days with Weekend) | Arafat Day on May 26, Eid holidays from May 27–29; long weekend possible |
| UAE National Day | December 2 – December 3, 2026 | Wednesday – Thursday | 2 Days | May be extended into a long weekend depending on official announcement |
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