Yas Island is about to get very festive. Mariah Carey has been confirmed to play Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi on Saturday, December 12, 2026, with a show built around her Christmastime repertoire — the seasonal canon that has made her the undisputed soundtrack to the holidays. Think All I Want For Christmas Is You, Santa Baby and Christmas (Baby Please Come Home), performed live with all the drama her fans expect. Organisers are even encouraging festive dress, so dig out the tinsel.
Tickets are already on sale via the Etihad Arena website, with prices starting from Dhs249 (roughly £55 / $68). If history is anything to go by, they won't last long. When Mariah played Dubai in 2019 as part of the 'One Year to Go' Expo 2020 countdown, tickets famously vanished within seconds of going live. Given this is her only announced festive show in the region, demand is likely to be fierce again.
She's a familiar face in the UAE by now. Her first Abu Dhabi show came in January 2024, when she headlined the launch of the Saadiyat Nights concert series, and she returned to the same festival in February this year. Add earlier Dubai performances in 2004, 2017 and 2019, and this December gig makes it her sixth run of UAE shows. Still, a Christmas-themed set is a different proposition entirely — and for many fans it's the one they've been waiting for.
Practicalities are straightforward. The venue is Etihad Arena on Yas Island, Abu Dhabi's entertainment district, home to Ferrari World, Yas Waterworld and a cluster of hotels, so it's easy to build a weekend around the concert. A fan hotline (600 511115) is available for queries. And if you're not personally bothered about hearing All I Want For Christmas in December heat, the source makes a fair point: this is a strong gift for the Mariah devotee in your life.
For travellers, the timing works nicely. Early-to-mid December is shoulder season in the Emirates — warm rather than scorching, quieter than the Christmas and New Year peak, and often noticeably cheaper on flights and hotels. Fly in, catch the show on the Saturday, and you still have Sunday for the beach or the theme parks before heading home. Just don't wait to book: both the tickets and the flights around this date will move fast.
Story via What's On Dubai.
