Gran Turismo's Biggest Live Race is Coming to Abu Dhabi

Abu Dhabi will host the Gran Turismo World Series 2026 opener on 28 March at Space42 Arena — the first Middle East opening round. Yas Marina Circuit is also now in Gran Turismo 7.

Abu Dhabi to host Gran Turismo World Series opener in 2026

Abu Dhabi is set to host the opening event of the Gran Turismo World Series 2026 on 28 March 2026, with the live show happening at Space42 Arena. It’s a big one too: this is the first time the season opener lands in the Middle East. And if you’d rather race than watch, there’s a bonus — Yas Marina Circuit is now available in Gran Turismo 7 on PS4 and PS5, so you can take a digital lap of Abu Dhabi’s headline track anytime.

Abu Dhabi will host the Gran Turismo World Series 2026 opening event on 28 March 2026
It's the first time the opener lands in the Middle East
The live event happens at Space42 Arena, bringing top-ranked drivers to the UAE
Yas Marina Circuit is now playable in GT7 on PS4 and PS5

Abu Dhabi is getting the GT World Series opener

Abu Dhabi will host the opening round of the Gran Turismo World Series 2026 on 28 March 2026, marking the first Middle East opener for the championship.

Date: 28 March 2026
Venue: Space42 Arena, Abu Dhabi
What it is: a live, in-person championship event with top Gran Turismo drivers
Why it matters: big global esports spotlight on the UAE

This isn’t an online-only thing. It’s a proper live event where the best drivers travel to compete on stage, with fans watching in person and millions more tuning in globally. For Abu Dhabi, it’s another step in building a reputation not just for motorsport, but motorsport culture that also lives inside games.

Quick explainer: what the Gran Turismo World Series actually is

The Gran Turismo World Series is an annual competition to crown the world’s best Gran Turismo player, mixing online qualifiers with live events in major destinations.

Starts online: qualifiers are open to players globally
Ends on stage: top racers qualify for live World Series events
High skill ceiling: this is sim racing, not “hold X to drift” arcade stuff
Big reach: it pulls in competitive players, car brands, and hardcore fans

If you’ve only ever played a few races in Gran Turismo 7, the World Series feels like a different sport. Drivers train with full sim rigs, learn braking points like real track days, and get painfully consistent. That’s the appeal — it’s motorsport for people who don’t have a spare garage for a track car.

Yas Marina Circuit is now in Gran Turismo 7

Alongside the event announcement, Yas Marina Circuit (Abu Dhabi’s flagship track) is now included in Gran Turismo 7 on PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5.

Track: Yas Marina Circuit
Game: Gran Turismo 7
Platforms mentioned: PS4 and PS5
What players get: a digital version of Abu Dhabi’s most famous circuit

This is the clever part. Even if you never attend the live event, you can still “visit” Abu Dhabi by racing its headline track in-game. For a lot of players, that’s the first touchpoint with a real-world location — and yes, it’s basically tourism, but with tyre wear and braking zones.

Who’s behind it: Polyphony Digital and Abu Dhabi Gaming

The opening event is organised by Polyphony Digital (a Sony Interactive Entertainment subsidiary) alongside Abu Dhabi Gaming, an initiative led by the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi).

Organiser: Polyphony Digital Inc. (Sony Interactive Entertainment)
Local initiative: Abu Dhabi Gaming (led by DCT Abu Dhabi)
What Abu Dhabi Gaming is pushing: a bigger gaming + esports ecosystem in the emirate
Bigger picture: positioning Abu Dhabi as a global hub for gaming and competitive events

Abu Dhabi has been steadily stacking gaming and esports activity — and it’s not subtle about it. If you’ve been following local events, here are a couple of recent ones covered on Tbreak:

For official Gran Turismo info, you can start here: Gran Turismo official site and Polyphony Digital.

Tickets and what to do next

Ticketing info is being handled via Ticketmaster in the UAE, with the listing referenced as an event page in the announcement.

Ticketing platform: Ticketmaster UAE
Tip: if you don’t see the event immediately, search by the event name and date
Link: Ticketmaster UAE

And if you want more Gran Turismo context on PS5 (including recent GT7 mentions from Sony events), this roundup is handy: PlayStation State of Play (Sept 2025): all announcements