Abu Dhabi is set to make esports history as it hosts the opening event of the Gran Turismo World Series 2026 on 28 March 2026 at the Space42 Arena, marking the first time the championship launches from the Middle East.
The announcement positions the UAE capital at the center of the global sim racing ecosystem and reinforces the region’s growing strategic role in competitive gaming and digital motorsport.
Organised by Polyphony Digital Inc., a subsidiary of Sony Interactive Entertainment, in collaboration with Abu Dhabi Gaming, the event will bring the world’s top Gran Turismo drivers to compete live on stage.
Beyond the competition itself, the opener is expected to reach millions of viewers globally, delivering significant international exposure for Abu Dhabi’s esports and gaming infrastructure.
Hosting the Gran Turismo World Series opener reflects Abu Dhabi’s long-term investment in gaming, esports, and interactive entertainment as economic growth pillars in a path in which the UAE has increasingly positioned itself as a future-ready destination for publishers, developers, event organisers, and investors, with esports playing a central role in its strategy.
High-profile global IPs such as Gran Turismo choosing Abu Dhabi signals growing confidence in the region’s operational capabilities and audience maturity.
The announcement was formally made during the Gran Turismo World Series 2025 World Finals in Fukuoka, Japan, by H.E. Saeed Al Fazari, Executive Director of Strategic Affairs at DCT Abu Dhabi, alongside Kazunori Yamauchi, Gran Turismo series producer.
Al Fazari highlighted the event as a milestone not only for Abu Dhabi but for the wider MENA region, emphasizing its impact on both esports and motorsport sectors and its alignment with Abu Dhabi’s ambition to be a global hub for innovation, entertainment, gaming, and motorsport.
For Sony Interactive Entertainment and Polyphony Digital, the Middle East debut of the World Series opener represents a strategic expansion into a fast-growing market.
The Gran Turismo World Series combines open online qualifiers with elite live events hosted in major global cities, blending mass participation with premium competitive entertainment. Launching the 2026 season in Abu Dhabi underscores the region’s rising relevance within the global esports calendar.
A key strategic layer to the announcement is the inclusion of Yas Marina Circuit in Gran Turismo 7, digitally extending Abu Dhabi’s motorsport legacy into the virtual racing world.
This integration creates a direct bridge between real-world motorsport tourism and digital engagement, offering long-term brand exposure to millions of players and reinforcing Abu Dhabi’s positioning at the intersection of traditional motorsport and next-generation esports.
Abu Dhabi Gaming described the event as a catalyst for ecosystem growth, strengthening the emirate’s role as a connector between global publishers, competitive platforms, talent, and commercial partners. As sim racing continues to gain traction globally, driven by accessibility, realism, and crossover appeal with traditional motorsport, the Gran Turismo World Series 2026 opener serves as a strategic statement about MENA’s readiness to host, scale, and commercialise top-tier esports properties.
With the Gran Turismo franchise surpassing 100 million lifetime sales, the 2026 opener in Abu Dhabi is expected to deliver not only competitive prestige but also tangible business value across tourism, media rights, sponsorships, and ecosystem development, further accelerating the Middle East’s integration into the global esports economy.
