ADIHEX 2026 Opens in Abu Dhabi: Record 2,405 Exhibitors From 71 Countries, 107,000 sq m and a 10-Day Run to September 6

Published 2026-08-28

The 23rd Abu Dhabi International Hunting and Equestrian Exhibition (ADIHEX 2026) opened at ADNEC Centre Abu Dhabi on Friday, 2026-08-28, with a record 2,405 companies, brands and exhibitors from 71 countries, six of them taking part for the first time. The show occupies 107,000 square metres, 17% more than in 2025, and for the first time since its launch in 2003 runs for 10 days, until September 6, from 10:00 to 22:00 daily. It brings together 15 sectors, 55 falcon-breeding farms (20% more than last year) and eight falcon auctions. The previous edition in 2025 drew 379,572 visitors over nine days, so this year’s longer and larger show sets a new benchmark for the venue whose operator, ADNEC Group, contributed AED 9.2 billion to the UAE economy in 2025. This article sets out the numbers, the sectors and what a company entering the UAE market can take from Abu Dhabi’s largest heritage-and-trade event.

ADIHEX 2026 in numbers

The figures below come from the organiser, ADNEC Group (part of Modon), as reported by Gulf News on 2026-08-20 and 2026-08-28, and from the ADNEC press release on the results of ADIHEX 2025 dated 2025-09-07.

ADNEC Group’s Group CEO Humaid Al Dhaheri described the 2026 edition as the largest in the exhibition’s history, with record growth in space, exhibitor participation and the number of countries. By the close of the 2025 show, more than 60% of the 2026 floor space had already been booked. The exhibition is held under the patronage of Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Ruler’s Representative in Al Dhafra Region and Chairman of the Emirates Falconers’ Club, which co-organises the event with ADNEC Group. The theme of the 2026 edition is “A Legacy of Pride”.

What is on show: 15 sectors

ADIHEX started as a falconry and hunting fair and has grown into a trade platform for the whole outdoor economy of the Gulf. The 2026 edition covers:

• falconry, including breeding farms, equipment and the auction programme;
• equestrian products and services, with a focus on the Arabian horse;
• hunting and safari tourism, including outfitters and destinations from Africa, Central Asia and Europe;
• veterinary products and services for falcons, horses, camels and Salukis;
• environmental conservation and cultural heritage;
• arts, crafts and a traditional souq;
• fishing and marine sports;
• camping equipment and outdoor activities;
• recreational vehicles and caravans;
• camels, Arabian Salukis and knives, the four sectors added in 2025.

Alongside the stands, the programme includes live demonstrations, competitions, cultural performances and interactive areas for families. The organisers note that 2026 is the UAE’s Year of the Family, and the 10-day format with evening hours is designed for family visits.

Falconry: 55 farms and eight auctions

Falconry remains the commercial core of the show. In 2026, 55 local and international falcon-breeding farms are exhibiting, nine of them for the first time. The auction programme repeats the 2025 format: four auctions before the opening and four during the exhibition. For scale, the eight auctions of ADIHEX 2025 generated AED 2.199 million in sales with 21,795 participants in person and online, and the camel auctions added AED 1.7 million. The event also hosts the Sheikh Zayed Houbara Programme, which in 2026 marks 49 years of breeding and releasing the houbara bustard, the traditional quarry of Arabian falconry.

Why ADNEC matters to the Abu Dhabi economy

ADIHEX is one of the flagship shows of ADNEC Group, the Modon company that runs ADNEC Centre Abu Dhabi, ExCeL London and the Al Ain convention centre. According to the group’s 2025 results, published in July 2026, ADNEC contributed AED 9.2 billion to the UAE economy in 2025, 8% more than in 2024. The group hosted 1,149 events (+15%), welcomed 6.3 million visitors (+17%), generated 2.17 million hotel room nights and supported more than 70,000 jobs. Its newer regional show, the Al Ain International Hunting and Equestrian Exhibition launched in November 2025, recorded 116,617 visitors.

ADIHEX also opens the capital’s autumn calendar. It is followed in September by Middle East Film and Comic Con (September 11 to 13), the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair (September 13 to 18) and the UN Congress on Crime Prevention (September 26 to October 1), while Dubai hosts Middle East Energy, GISEC Global, the International Property Show and AIM Congress in the same weeks. We covered the full programme in our overview of the UAE’s September 2026 business events season.

What ADIHEX means for a company entering the UAE market

For a foreign supplier, ADIHEX is a direct route to a specific and solvent customer base: falcon and horse owners, hunting-tourism operators, camping and overlanding enthusiasts, veterinary clinics and government conservation bodies from across the GCC. The practical lessons from previous editions are the same ones we see with clients at Make it in the Emirates and other ADNEC shows (see our note on Make it in the Emirates 2026):

• A stand sells, a company delivers. Orders taken at the show for equipment, feed, veterinary products, vehicles or safari packages need a UAE counterparty to invoice, clear customs and provide after-sales service. That means either a local distributor or your own UAE entity.
• Free zone or mainland depends on the customer. Selling to private buyers and companies across the UAE, or bidding for government tenders, generally points to a mainland licence; export-oriented trading and regional distribution often sit better in a free zone. The choice affects VAT registration, customs and the visa quota.
• Licensed activities must match the product. Veterinary products, firearms-related hunting equipment, knives and live animals are regulated categories that require the correct activity on the licence and, in some cases, approvals from the relevant authority before the goods can be imported or sold.
• Staff need residence visas. A sales manager or technician based in the UAE after the show needs a work visa sponsored by the company; a 10-day exhibition visit does not.
• Bank account before the next season. Corporate bank onboarding in the UAE takes from several weeks to a few months, so a company that plans to sign contracts at ADIHEX 2027 should have its account open well before.

Checklist: turning a trade-show lead into a UAE business

• Define the sales model: distributor, own entity or both.
• Select the jurisdiction (free zone or mainland) and the licence activities that match the product line.
• Register the company and obtain the establishment card for visa sponsorship; details on our company setup in the UAE page.
• Apply for residence and work visas for the local team through the work visa and residency route.
• Open a corporate bank account and, where turnover requires, register for VAT; see bank account opening in the UAE.
• Check import requirements and authority approvals for regulated goods before the first shipment.
• Book exhibition space for the next edition early: more than 60% of ADIHEX 2026 was sold before ADIHEX 2025 closed.

How Atlant Capital can help

Atlant Capital sets up companies in the UAE for foreign founders and suppliers: we select the free zone or mainland jurisdiction and the licence activities, register the entity, arrange the establishment card and residence visas for staff, and accompany the corporate bank account opening. For exhibitors who have found their first UAE customers at ADIHEX or another ADNEC show, we structure the local entity so that invoicing, customs and staff hiring are in place before the next order.

Conclusion

ADIHEX 2026 is the largest edition in the exhibition’s 23-year history: 2,405 exhibitors from 71 countries on 107,000 square metres, 10 days instead of nine, 55 falcon farms and eight auctions, running until September 6 at ADNEC Centre Abu Dhabi. It opens an autumn in which ADNEC’s venues, worth AED 9.2 billion to the UAE economy in 2025, host a continuous series of trade events. For a foreign company, the exhibition is a working entry point into the Gulf outdoor, equestrian and falconry markets, provided the legal entity, licence and bank account are ready to convert show-floor contacts into contracts.

FAQ

When and where is ADIHEX 2026 held?

ADIHEX 2026 runs from August 28 to September 6, 2026 at ADNEC Centre Abu Dhabi, open daily from 10:00 to 22:00. It is the 23rd edition and the first to last 10 days; previous editions ran for nine days or fewer.

How many exhibitors and countries take part in ADIHEX 2026?

A record 2,405 companies, brands and exhibitors from 71 countries are taking part, 17% more exhibitors than the 2,068 of 2025. Six countries are represented for the first time. The show covers 107,000 square metres, up 17% from 92,000 square metres in 2025.

How many visitors does ADIHEX attract?

The 2025 edition recorded 379,572 visitors over nine days, 9.2% more than in 2024. The 2026 figure will be published by ADNEC Group after the show closes on September 6. ADNEC’s venues as a whole welcomed 6.3 million visitors across 1,149 events in 2025.

Can a foreign company sell products at ADIHEX without a UAE licence?

Exhibiting is arranged through the organiser, but follow-on sales, invoicing, customs clearance and after-sales service in the UAE require a local counterparty: either a UAE distributor or the exhibitor’s own free zone or mainland company with the matching licensed activities. Regulated goods such as veterinary products, knives and live animals additionally need authority approvals.