The first phase of the Dh10-billion Dubai Exhibition Centre (DEC) will be completed in early 2026, nearly six months ahead of schedule, and will host its first major exhibition in January.

The first phase includes 140,000 square metres of space ready for exhibition, conferences, and large-scale events. Around 64,000 square metres will have new permanent exhibition halls, while 30,000 square metres will be flexible temporary pavilion space.

Covering 160,000 square metres, phase two will be complete by 2028, which will include permanent halls, dedicated service yards, enhanced road network and direct connectivity to Expo City.

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Scheduled to be completed by 2031, the third and final phase will cover 180,000 square metres of indoor space across 26 halls - all on a single level - plus integrated hospitality, retail and commercial facilities.

In January, Gulfood, the world's largest food exhibition, will be simultaneously held in DEC and the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC). It will host over 8,500 exhibitors and over 1.5 million products from 195 countries across 12 sectors.

The new exhibition centre will host its second big event, World Health Expo (WHX) Dubai, in February. This expo will see over 235,000 professionals as visitors and over 4,300 exhibitors participating from more than 180 countries.

In order to facilitate visitors, the venue will be connected with the Expo 2020 metro station, which has direct access to the DEC arrival plaza.

Largest exhibitions venue

In September 2024, Dubai announced a Dh10 billion expansion plan for the DEC at Expo City Dubai. On completion, it will become the largest purpose-built indoor events and exhibitions venue in the region.

“Currently, we have more than 4,000 skilled professionals working and more than 9 million hours worked to deliver this facility and to ensure that we have building readiness by the first quarter of 2026. The official completion of phase one is planned to be by July 2026, but we will be ahead of schedule by six months,” said Amer Al Farsi, vice president for real estate development at DWTC, which owns and manages the facilities at DWTC and DEC.

“It is not easy to deliver such a project, but this shows how Dubai can deliver a complex development with the speed, precision, and purpose,” he said while sharing the details of the project.

“With Phase 1 nearing completion, every structural and operational milestone has been achieved through close coordination with our partners across the city,” said Amer Al Farsi.

Mahir Julfar, executive vice president at Dubai World Trade Centre, said the expansion of DEC represents Dubai's proven capability to deliver large-scale international events.

“Readiness of the expanded venue, in record time, reflects the seamless collaboration between government entities and city partners, from infrastructure and mobility to safety and visitor experience. As we prepare to host our 2026 mega events, our shared focus remains on ensuring an exceptional experience for every exhibitor and visitor,” he added.

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