Emirates Sports Arena opening moves to January 2027

Short answer

• Emirates Sports Group's site now says its Dubai Sports City ice arena is 'Opening January 2027'.
• On 23 October 2026 its arena page said 'Opening Spring 2026'; by 27 October that page returned 'Page not found'.
• Earlier reports gave May 2025 and September 2025. No exact day in January has been published.
• The operator lists a 26 m x 61 m rink, 1,000 seats, a hockey academy and public skating.

In this guide (4 sections)

1. What changed?
2. What the operator now lists
3. What it means for you
4. What to check before you act

Emirates Sports Group, the company behind the Emirates Hockey League, now says its ice arena in Dubai Sports City is "Opening January 2027". When we checked on 23 October 2026, its arena page still said "Opening Spring 2026". By 27 October that page returned "Page not found", and the company's home page showed the new January 2027 date.

dubaihockey.com is independent and not affiliated with Emirates Sports Group or any rink, club, league or federation.

What changed?

This is the fourth target we can trace. No exact day in January has been published, and the operator has not explained the delay. The change matters because Emirates Sports Group also runs the Emirates Hockey League, so the arena has been presented as a future home for league games and a hockey academy in Dubai Sports City.

What the operator now lists

The ice rink section of the company's home page, checked on 27 October 2026, describes the venue as a multifunctional ice arena and lists:

• a 26 m x 61 m rink, air at 17°C and ice at 4–7°C;
• 1,000 seats (Time Out reported more than 600 in May 2025);
• six changing rooms, a medical room, three coach rooms, a shooting area and a dedicated gym;
• 360 parking spaces and para-friendly access;
• ice hockey and figure skating, public skating, team skating, a hockey academy and learn-to-skate classes, and ice shows.

No prices, academy ages or fees have been published. The company's map places the complex beside its sports hotel, with Dubai Cricket Stadium and The Els Club among the nearby venues it lists.

What it means for you

Parents. Do not plan a child's first term around this rink yet. Programmes running now are at Dubai Ice Rink in The Dubai Mall and Sport Society in Mirdif; compare them in kids' ice hockey in Dubai.

Adult players. Time Out reported in May 2025 that the arena would host Emirates Ice Hockey League matches. Until it opens, league games in Dubai are at existing rinks; see our Emirates Hockey League guide.

Fans and skaters. Public skating is listed, but there is no price or booking page. For skating now, see ice rinks in the UAE.

Dubai's other announced venue, Galaxy's two-sheet GLXY Sport Hub in Oud Metha, still said "Opening soon" on 27 October 2026. Neither new rink was open when we checked.

We have updated the Emirates Sports Arena directory entry and our rink guides with the new date.

What to check before you act

• Treat January 2027 as a target, not an opening, until the operator announces a day that has passed.
• Wait for published fees and age groups before paying any academy deposit.
• Check the operator's site for public skating prices once it opens.

Questions people ask

General information only. Fees, venues and schedules change; confirm with the rink, club or league before you pay or travel. Spotted something out of date? Send us a source.

Sources

1. Emirates Sports Complex home page, ice rink section (Emirates Sports)checked 27 October 2026
2. Emirates Sports Arena page, 'Page not found' on 27 Oct 2026 (Emirates Sports)checked 27 October 2026
3. Emirates Sports Complex map (Emirates Sports)checked 27 October 2026
4. Emirates Sports Arena to open in Dubai Sports City in September (Time Out Dubai, 13 May 2025)checked 27 October 2026
5. Emirates Sports Group (Wikipedia)checked 27 October 2026