12 incredible megaprojects coming soon to Abu Dhabi

It’s safe to say there’s lots to look forward to in Abu Dhabi. The UAE capital has already unveiled some seriously wow-worthy attractions and developments in recent years, from the now near-complete Saadiyat Cultural District to Reem Mall and Yas Bay. But there’s plenty more to come, with the city rapidly expanding across the main city and islands with new developments that will transform life for residents and visitors. Here’s 12 megaprojects coming soon to Abu Dhabi we can’t wait for. Arguably Abu Dhabi’s biggest and boldest new attraction will be Disneyland Abu Dhabi, the seventh Disney theme park resort in the world and the first in the Middle East. Announced in May 2025 as a partnership between Disney and Yas Island developer Miral, the waterfront theme park will rise on Yas North, adding to the all-star Yas Island attractions that already include Warne Bros World Abu Dhabi, Yas Waterworld and Ferrari World Abu Dhabi. Speaking previously, Disney chief Bob Iger promised a park that’s “authentically Disney and distinctly Emirati.” Expect a hotel, retail, dining and a brand-new take on the iconic Disney castle. Already an iconic entertainment destination in Las Vegas, Abu Dhabi is set to get its own Sphere in 2029. Sphere Abu Dhabi is stet to unfold as a 20,000-capacity, technology-packed Yas Island super venue, located close to Yas Mall. Sphere Abu Dhabi will host immersive productions, concert residencies and major brand events, all wrapped in that unmistakable glowing, spherical exterior. This new addition will bring another dimension of year-round entertainment to Abu Dhabi, with world-class productions already bringing the noise to Yas Island at Etihad Park. Two decades in the making, Frank Gehry’s Guggenheim Abu Dhabi finally has an official opening date: December 11, 2026. The final piece in the Saadiyat Cultural District puzzle, the museum will be the largest in the Guggenheim’s global network, spanning around 80,000 square metres with 30 galleries across ten sculptural cones. It joins Louvre Abu Dhabi, Zayed National Museum, Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi and teamLab Phenomena as the latest addition to one of the world’s most concentrated cultural districts. Expect modern and contemporary art spanning the 1960s to today, framed through an Abu Dhabi lens. Perhaps the Abu Dhabi megaproject closest to completion, the much-awaited Saadiyat Grove will launch in 2026. A mixed-use community right in the heart of Saadiyat’s Cultural District, Saadiyat Grove features apartments, townhouses and villas just steps from Louvre Abu Dhabi and the upcoming Guggenheim. But it’s the retail and restaurant elements we’re most excited by, with more than 200 shops and restaurants set to debut from September. Names already confirmed for Saadiyat Cultural District include David Chang’s Momofuku and Restaurant Paul Bocuse. One of the late Frank Gehry’s final designs, Dar Al Funoon (“House of the Arts”) broke ground in June 2026 near Saadiyat Cultural District and is set to open in 2030. An anchor of the new Marsa Al Saadiyat megaproject (see below), the performing arts venue will host opera, ballet, theatre, jazz and more across four spaces, including a 2,000-seat multipurpose hall, a 3,500-seat open-air amphitheatre, a 400-seat studio theatre and a 250-seat jazz venue. Designed for year-round programming, it’s set to become one of the region’s largest and most technically advanced performing arts complexes.