Eid Al-Adha 2026 will be celebrated on Wednesday, May 27, with Youm Arafat — the holiest day of the Hajj pilgrimage — falling on Tuesday, May 26. Saudi Arabia's Supreme Court confirmed the dates following moon sighting on May 17, with the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, and Bahrain issuing matching announcements within hours. The confirmation ends weeks of anticipation and triggers a wave of final travel and preparation across Muslim-majority nations worldwide.
Holiday Schedule Across the GCC
For government employees and public sector workers across the Gulf, the official Eid break runs from Sunday, May 25 through Thursday, May 29 — a five-day block that, combined with the preceding and following weekends, creates an extended 9-day holiday window. Private sector employers are expected to follow similar schedules under national labor regulations in each member state. Human resources teams across the region have been issuing holiday circulars and payroll processing has been accelerated to ensure salaries reach employees before the break begins.
Banks, government services, and most retail businesses will operate on reduced hours from May 23, with full closures on May 26 and 27. Essential services including hospitals, emergency response, utilities, and fuel distribution will operate normally. Major shopping malls in Riyadh, Dubai, Doha, and Kuwait City have announced extended holiday trading hours from May 28 onward as consumer spending traditionally surges after the first days of Eid.
Hajj 2026: Security and Scale
An estimated 2.5 million pilgrims are expected to perform Hajj this year, broadly in line with the 2025 figure. The Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah confirmed that visa applications are being processed through the Nusuk digital platform, with pilgrims from all countries welcomed. Saudi authorities deployed additional security personnel across Makkah and the holy sites as a precautionary measure given the broader regional security environment.
The Ministry urged all pilgrims to arrive within their designated windows and follow all crowd management guidance at Mina, Arafat, and Muzdalifah. Smart wristband technology and real-time crowd monitoring systems, first deployed at scale in 2023, are being used again this year to manage movement between sites and prevent dangerous congestion. Health authorities have set up additional medical stations following their post-COVID expansion of hajj health infrastructure.
Prices, Markets, and Preparations
Livestock markets in Riyadh, Dubai, Doha, and Kuwait City have reported strong demand for sheep and cattle for the traditional Udhiyah sacrifice, though prices are higher than in 2025 due to supply chain disruptions linked to the regional conflict. Many families are opting for digital slaughterhouse booking services, which have grown significantly over the past two years and allow families to arrange the sacrifice remotely through certified operators.
For businesses across the Gulf, Eid Al-Adha represents one of the highest-spending periods of the year. Retail, food and beverage, travel, and gifting sectors all see significant activity. E-commerce platforms have launched pre-Eid promotions, and regional airlines are operating near-full capacity on domestic and short-haul routes throughout the holiday week. Airports in Dubai, Doha, and Riyadh are advising international travelers to arrive at least four hours before departure during the holiday period.