Hotels for Abu Dhabi Championship 2026

A four-round stop on the professional golf calendar, drawing a mix of home fans and travelling supporters who follow the sport between continents. Thursday's opening round sets the tone, with early tee times giving way to a full leaderboard shake-up as the best players find their range. Desert courses reward accuracy off the tee and calm nerves on fast greens, and galleries tend to build steadily as the week progresses. Expect a relaxed, sun-soaked atmosphere rather than a raucous one, with plenty of space to watch play up close.

The Abu Dhabi Championship has been a fixture of the European and DP World Tour since its inaugural staging in 2006, quickly establishing itself as one of the season's marquee events in the Gulf. Long a January curtain-raiser played on the manicured desert courses of the UAE capital, it has attracted a procession of the world's leading players and produced a roll of honour studded with major champions, among them Tommy Fleetwood and Rory McIlroy.

Now one of five elevated Rolex Series events, it carries one of the biggest prize funds of the campaign and a rich haul of Race to Dubai points. For 2026 it is played at Yas Links on Yas Island, the acclaimed links-style layout that runs alongside the water, and it forms part of the tour's climactic season play-offs.

Near-guaranteed sunshine, a world-class field and a setting close to the city's beaches, marina and grand attractions make it a jewel of the autumn desert swing.