The Dubai Esports & Games Festival (DEF) 2026 will take place from May 8 to 24, 2026, marking its fifth, and largest, edition to date.

Organised by Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment (DFRE), part of the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET), the festival has rapidly grown since its 2022 launch into a major international esports and gaming event.

In 2025 alone, DEF welcomed more than 45,000 fans, families and industry professionals across 12 major events held over 17 days.

Event to be held at DWC

At the heart of DEF is GameExpo, running from May 22 to 24 at Dubai World Trade Centre, Zabeel Halls 2 & 3.

This year’s edition will feature:

• More than 100 gaming consoles
• 10 immersive themed zones
• Live esports tournaments and competitive stages
• Retro favourites and new game releases
• Interactive experiences for first-time players and hardcore gamers

New zones debuting in 2026 include Neo Tokyo District, Battle Arena, and Velocity Garage, expanding the event’s hands-on entertainment offering.

Cosplay championship, The Narrows return

The popular Dubai Cosplay Championship returns alongside The Narrows, DEF’s creative marketplace spotlighting local artists, designers and pop-culture creators.

The Narrows is supported by Dubai Culture, reinforcing the festival’s focus on homegrown creative talent.

Cosplayers, vendors and creative entrepreneurs can now register to participate, with more competition details to be announced soon.

Family-focused experiences

Aligned with the UAE’s Year of the Family, DEF 2026 will place greater emphasis on youth engagement and multi-generational participation.

For the first time, DEF will collaborate with LEGO Certified Stores, introducing interactive LEGO build zones and hands-on creative challenges designed to inspire imagination and problem-solving.

Families can explore dedicated zones, creative workshops and live stage competitions throughout the festival.

Summit and education programme

The GameExpo Summit powered by PG Connects will once again bring together global developers, publishers, investors and innovators, positioning Dubai as a growing hub for gaming and esports.

Meanwhile, the DEF Educational Engagement Programme 2026 invites students and schools to participate in workshops, competitions and skill-building challenges, culminating in DEF Education Day on May 21 at Dubai World Trade Centre.

Tickets:

• Early bird tickets for GameExpo 2026 are now available via Platinumlist
• Industry passes for GameExpo Summit are also on sale
• Schools, teachers, vendors, cosplayers and sponsors can now register their interest online

Further programme announcements will be revealed closer to the event.