2025 Dubai World Cup happens April 5, 1 week later than usual

The Grade 1 Dubai World Cup card will take place on Saturday, 5 April 2025. It will mark the grand finale of an extended 16-meeting Dubai racing carnival.

Hosted at Meydan Racecourse, the 29th renewal of the Dubai World Cup will be staged a week later than has previously been the case, forming the culmination of a week of Eid al-Fitr celebrations across the UAE. The race is typically run the last Saturday in March, but March 29 is the final day of Ramadan.

The new season gets underway on Nov. 8 while the first of four feature race days takes place Dec. 20 with a card anchored by the US$272,257 Maktoum Mile (G2). The Carnival’s second marquee race day happens Jan. 24, an all-pattern-race card that includes the US$1 million Al Maktoum Challenge (G1). The Al Maktoum Challenge offers the winner an entry in the Dubai World Cup.

Meydan Racecourse will host super Saturday on March 1. The feature is the Al Maktoum Classic (G2), another win-and-you're-in race for the Dubai World Cup.

Commenting on the announcement, Sheikh Rashed bin Dalmook Al Maktoum, chairman of Dubai Racing Club, said: “The Dubai World Cup is one of the best-established sporting and social events of the year in Dubai. This incredible race meeting has grown year on year, since its 1996 inception, and we look forward to welcoming the best horses, jockeys, trainers and owners from around the world to Meydan Racecourse on Saturday, 5 April 2025.

“We are also delighted to offer two additional days of racing this season, providing more opportunities for horses based locally and those joining us from overseas. The Dubai racing carnival has been instrumental in transforming the horseracing landscape globally. It is a celebration of the sport, combining top-tier racing action with world-class entertainment, fashion, and hospitality. With the introduction of new race days and an enhanced prize pool, the Carnival continues to attract elite participants and audiences from around the world.”