- Under the instruction of Hamdan bin Mohammed, Dubai Mallathon to be upgraded to a three-month yearly festival from 2026.
His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and UAE Defence Minister, has issued a directive for the Dubai Mallathon to take place every year in a period of three months, from June 15 to September 15, in various malls within the city. The order aims at increasing the scope of the initiative and attracting greater public participation.
The launch comes after the stunning success of the first edition, which witnessed a strong turnout of runners and broke the Guinness World Record for most participants of a mall run event. The record was broken at Dubai Hills Mall, where 1,392 people of various nationalities and ages participated in a single race.
Leading Global Destination
His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum commended the spectacular success of the Dubai Mallathon, stating that, under the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, Dubai will further cement its position as a global hub of choice for innovative community sporting events, while positioning sports as a cornerstone of quality of life and a catalyst for social empowerment, unity and positivity.
His Highness added: “The record level of public participation seen with a month of Dubai Mallathon speaks to how sports in Dubai has become a universal language, lifestyle, and means of self-expression. Establishing a healthy and dynamic society is something we can accomplish through innovative and accessible programs motivated by Dubai’s vision.
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Today, we have issued orders for the Dubai Mallathon to be organized annually over a three-month period in different malls in Dubai, in order to ensure the sustainability of this successful model, increase its scope and offer wider opportunities for participation for all segments of society,” Sheikh Hamdan stated.
He also said: “We want each of our initiatives in Dubai to have a lasting legacy that extends beyond the event itself and into day-to-day lives, with each initiative as a starting point for long-term change and as a source of inspiration for the community. Our initiatives should ignite passion for movement, achievement and philanthropy. We want them to have a genuine impact—becoming a force for positive change and sustainable routes for community advancement.”
Closing activities
The Dubai Mallathon concluded last Sunday after a month of activity that attracted over 40,000 participants from all over the world and across different ages. For 31 days, the campaign recorded over 120 million steps on air-conditioned indoor tracks established at nine main shopping malls in the city.
The events of the final day included a 42-kilometre marathon with 40 participants, along with a special race for women held in cooperation with the Dubai Sports Council to celebrate Emirati Women’s Day.
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Organized by the Ministry of Defence and hosted in collaboration with Dubai Sports Council, the Mallathon was introduced in accordance with the vision of the ‘Year of Community’, Dubai Social Agenda 33, and Dubai Quality of Life Strategy 2033, which aim to create a healthy and socially cohesive society through sport-related initiatives and activities that encourage sport as a habit of daily life and an important pillar of quality of life.
