The season-opening round of the 2026 Gran Turismo World Series, scheduled for Saturday, March 28 in Abu Dhabi, has been cancelled.
In a statement released today, Gran Turismo confirmed the cancellation, citing the safety of everyone involved as its “highest priority”. The decision comes amid escalating military conflict in the broader Middle East region, which has raised significant security and logistical concerns for international events.
“We sincerely appreciate your continued support and understanding,” the statement read.
Tickets and the UAE Time Trial
For those who had already purchased tickets to the event at Space42 Arena, refunds will be processed automatically through Ticketmaster. Participants in the associated UAE Time Trial competition will be contacted directly regarding the status of their results and next steps.
It remains unclear what this means for the structure of the 2026 World Series season as a whole. Gran Turismo said only that it “will share further details in due course,” leaving open the question of whether the round will be rescheduled at a different venue or dropped from the calendar entirely.
A First Since the Pandemic
This marks the first time a Gran Turismo World Series live event has been cancelled since the COVID-19 pandemic forced the 2020 season online. The series had enjoyed an uninterrupted return to in-person competition since then, with events held across Europe, Asia, and the Americas.
The cancellation is a particular blow given the significance of this specific event.
What Could Have Been
The Abu Dhabi round was not just another stop on the calendar: it was set to be the first-ever Gran Turismo World Series event held in the Middle East, a milestone that had been years in the making.
As we reported in December, GTPlanet sat down with series creator Kazunori Yamauchi and His Excellency Saeed Al-Fazari, executive director of strategic affairs at Abu Dhabi’s Department of Culture and Tourism, to discuss the event’s significance. Al-Fazari described the partnership with Polyphony Digital as “essential” to Abu Dhabi’s growing ambitions as a global hub for digital competition under its “Abu Dhabi Gaming” initiative.
Yamauchi-san, meanwhile, spoke enthusiastically about what he saw as a uniquely inclusive car culture in the UAE, noting that interest in cars and motorsport crossed gender lines in a way he hadn’t experienced in Japan, Europe, or the Americas. The region also holds a place in Gran Turismo history: it produced the franchise’s first-ever female regional finalist during GT Academy in 2013, and the Yas Marina Circuit hosted the GT Academy European Race Camp in 2015.
The plan to bring the World Series to Abu Dhabi had, in fact, been in motion since at least early 2024, when GTPlanet first discovered references to Abu Dhabi as a host city in regional versions of the official season announcement. The leak was quickly scrubbed, but hinted at the long-term planning behind the scenes.
For now, the Gran Turismo community will have to wait a little longer for its moment in the Middle East.
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