GITEX Global 2026 Dates: Venue, Schedule and What the Expo City Move Means for Exhibitors

GITEX Global is moving. After more than four decades at Dubai World Trade Centre, the 2026 edition runs at Dubai Exhibition Centre in Expo City Dubai, and it has also shifted from its traditional October slot to December. Anyone working from last year's calendar or last year's directions will be planning around the wrong dates and the wrong venue. This guide sets out the confirmed GITEX Global 2026 dates, where the show is held, how the schedule breaks down, and what the move changes for anyone building a stand. Where a detail is not confirmed, such as daily opening hours, we say so rather than guess.

Quick Overview: GITEX Global 2026 Dates and Venue

• The dates changed. The show moves from its usual October slot to December.
• The venue changed. It is the first time GITEX has been held outside DWTC.
• Daily timings are set by the organiser. Check the official GITEX website for visitor information rather than relying on third party listings.

Looking at the wider year? See our upcoming exhibitions in Dubai 2026 guide for the full calendar.

Why GITEX Global Is Leaving DWTC for Expo City Dubai

GITEX has been tied to Dubai World Trade Centre since it launched as the Gulf Computer Exhibition in December 1981, so a change of venue is a big step for the show. For 2026 the organiser has moved it to Dubai Exhibition Centre in Expo City Dubai, the first time in its history that GITEX has been held outside DWTC. The venue sits on the site built for Expo 2020, in Dubai's southern corridor close to Al Maktoum International Airport.

The dates changed as well. The show has traditionally run in October, and the 2026 edition moves to December. Coverage of the move describes the December slot as landing at the close of the year, when leadership teams review technology strategy and partnerships ahead of next year's budgets. The organiser's own reasoning is published on the official GITEX website, which is the source to trust over any third party summary, including this one.

GITEX Global 2026 Schedule: What Happens When

The 2026 edition runs across five days, split between a leadership day and the main exhibition.

• 7 December: GITEX Scale Summit, a day of strategic dialogue for senior leaders on the trends and policy frameworks shaping global AI economies. Confirm access and the summit venue with the organiser before you plan around it.
• 8 to 11 December: The main exhibition at Dubai Exhibition Centre, alongside conferences, workshops and networking events.
• New for 2026: TechCation, an initiative that pairs technology with leisure through citywide experiences beyond the exhibition halls.

Daily timings: we could not verify official daily opening hours at the time of writing, so we are not stating any. The organiser publishes visitor information on its official website, and that is where to check before you book meetings or travel.

Getting to Expo City Dubai

Use Expo City Dubai for all travel planning and ignore older directions that point to DWTC. The venue and the show are also listed on the Dubai Exhibition Centre event page. For most visitors based in central Dubai, Expo City is further out than DWTC used to be, so build extra travel time into meeting schedules and avoid stacking back to back appointments across the city on show days.

What the Move Means for Exhibitors

A new venue resets several assumptions that returning exhibitors take for granted.

• The floor layout is new. Hall and stand locations differ from previous editions, so confirm yours with the organiser early rather than working from last year's plan.
• Old approvals do not carry over. Drawings and documentation prepared for DWTC should be rechecked against the current venue requirements before you submit anything.
• Logistics change. Deliveries, move in windows and on site access all run through a different venue, so ask your contractor to confirm the current arrangements.
• Stand space is booked through the organiser, not through your stand builder.

Our exhibition stand planning timeline guide covers the full 12 week runway for a custom build. The steps below show what that looks like counted back from the first expo day.

Steps to Take Before GITEX Global 2026

1. Confirm your space and location

Stand space is booked through the organiser on the official GITEX website. Once you have a hall and stand number, everything else can be briefed against a real footprint.

2. Count back from 8 December

A custom build needs 12 or more weeks for design, fabrication and venue approvals. Counted back from the first expo day, the timeline falls like this:

These are planning guides, not official deadlines. The organiser's exhibitor manual and move in schedule take precedence.

3. Match the build to the time left

If the 12 week date has already passed, a fully custom build is at risk. A modular or hybrid stand is usually the realistic route inside eight weeks, with custom graphics and lighting layered on top to keep it distinctive.

4. Brief your builder on the new venue

Share your hall and stand details, ask for drawings prepared for the current venue, and confirm who handles approvals and on site delivery at Expo City.

Why Choose Nucleus for GITEX Global

Because production sits under one roof, changes to a brief do not have to pass through outside vendors. See how the team approaches exhibition stand design and build in Dubai.

Recent Exhibition Stand Projects in Dubai

Planning to Exhibit at GITEX Global 2026?

The earlier your brief is in, the more options you keep. Contact us to talk through your space, your timeline and the right build for the new venue.

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