Eid Al Fitr will be the next UAE public holiday set to be next month
The UAE is still waiting for official confirmation on the start of Ramadan, which is predicted to begin on Tuesday, February 18. As Islamic holidays are determined by moon sighting, the exact Eid dates will only be confirmed closer to the time, around March 18 or 19. However, based on current predictions, there are several likely scenarios that the next UAE Public Holiday could result in a four-day long weekend.
If Ramadan begins on Tuesday, February 18 and lasts 30 days, the final day of fasting would fall on Friday, March 20. In this scenario, the Eid Al Fitr holiday would start on Friday and continue through the first 3 days of Shawwal, ending on Monday, March 23 resulting in a four-day break from Friday to Monday.
If Ramadan instead runs for 29 days, Eid Al Fitr would arrive earlier. That would place the first day of the holiday on Thursday, March 19, with the official Eid break running until Saturday, March 21. When combined with the usual Sunday weekend, this would still create a four-day holiday, from Thursday through Sunday.
There’s also a third likely outcome. If both Shaban and Ramadan last 30 days, then Saturday, March 21 would mark the first day of Shawwal. In this case, the Eid Al Fitr holiday would again begin on Friday, March 20 and conclude on Monday, March 23, delivering another four-day long weekend.
Predicted UAE public holidays for 2026
Alongside Eid Al Fitr, here’s how the rest of the UAE’s public holidays are currently expected to shape up in 2026 (subject to official confirmation):
- New Year’s Day: Thursday, January 1
- Eid Al Fitr: Friday, March 20 to Sunday, March 22
- Arafat Day: Tuesday, May 26
- Eid Al Adha: Wednesday, May 27 to Friday, May 29
- Islamic New Year: Monday, June 15
- The Prophet Muhammad’s Birthday (PBUH): Monday, August 24
- National Day: Wednesday, December 2 and Thursday, December 3
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