Dubai Mallathon was a huge success this year in 2025

It has been announced that the Dubai Mallathon, the sports initiative that saw Dubai’s largest malls transformed into fitness hubs with indoor running tracks, is coming back again next year and will ‘run’ for even longer. His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister, and Minister of Defence of the UAE, has directed that the Dubai Mallathon be made into a three-month initiative. This year, it ran only over the month of August; however, in 2026, it will take place from June 15 to September 15 across various malls in the city.

The initiative gives participants the chance to exercise while avoiding the Dubai summer heat. This year in 2025, there were 10k runs, 5k runs, 2.5k runs and any-pace walks. Dedicated walking and running tracks were introduced in some of Dubai’s top malls, including Dubai Mall, Dubai Hills Mall, Mall of the Emirates, Dubai Marina Mall, Springs Souk, City Centre Deira, and City Centre Mirdif.

The closing event also featured a 42-kilometre marathon. This closing event even set a Guinness World Record for most runners in a mall run event in Dubai Hills Mall, where 1,392 participants took part across various ages and nationalities.

His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum praised the outstanding success of the Dubai Mallathon and said, “The unprecedented level of community engagement witnessed during a full month of the Dubai Mallathon reflects how sports in Dubai has evolved into a common language, a way of life, and a powerful form of self-expression. Building a healthy and active society is a goal we can achieve through innovative and inclusive initiatives inspired by Dubai’s vision.”

If running isn’t really your thing, there are indoor gyms in Dubai open 24/7 for weights, so you can get a sweat on at any time of the day that suits you. Yoga and Pilates studios are popular around the city, too.

Images: Archive