Abu Dhabi Announces Site for World’s Second Sphere
Posted on: May 14, 2026, 04:34h.
Last updated on: May 14, 2026, 04:35h.
- Abu Dhabi confirmed Yas Island as the location for the world’s second Sphere, a $1.7 billion project set to serve as a “global platform for Emirati culture”
- The 20,000-capacity venue, scheduled for completion by the end of 2029, will utilize the same immersive tech as the Las Vegas landmark
- Under a 25-year franchise agreement, DCT Abu Dhabi will fund construction while Sphere Entertainment provides proprietary content, technology licenses, and construction services in exchange for royalties
The Abu Dhabi Department of Culture and Tourism (DCT) announced Thursday that the world’s second Sphere will rise on Yas Island, officially ending months of speculation about where the $1.7 billion Las Vegas landmark’s twin would be built. Officials also revealed a target completion date of late 2029.
The Abu Dhabi Sphere will be built on Yas Island, between Yas Mall and SeaWorld. (Image: Abu Dhabi Department of Culture and Tourism)
Just Say Yas
Yas Island — a more than 6,000‑acre tourism hub — has become a destination corridor for Abu Dhabi, drawing millions of visitors annually to its concert venues, luxury hotels, and theme parks. These include Ferrari World, Warner Bros. World, and SeaWorld Abu Dhabi. The island is also home to the Yas Marina Circuit, host of the annual Formula 1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
The new Sphere will be constructed between SeaWorld Abu Dhabi and Yas Mall, placing it in the center of the island’s entertainment cluster.
Sphere Entertainment signed a licensing agreement with the DCT in July 2025, granting the emirate the rights to build and operate a Sphere‑branded venue. Until Thursday, however, the company had not disclosed the location. That agreement also gave the DCT exclusive rights to build and operate a Sphere venue in the UAE, plus a 10‑year window to develop additional Spheres across the Middle East and North Africa.
The DCT may also use Sphere Entertainment’s intellectual property, technology, and ancillary content. In return, Sphere will receive a lump‑sum franchise initiation fee and an annual royalty based on a percentage of Sphere Abu Dhabi’s total revenues, excluding ticket sales for Sphere‑licensed “Sphere Experience” content.
The franchise agreement runs 25 years from opening, with two optional 10‑year renewals.
A Peer for Sphere
The Abu Dhabi venue will match the 20,000‑seat capacity of the Las Vegas Sphere and incorporate the same proprietary technologies — including its LED-intensive Exosphere, wraparound interior display plane, and multi‑sensory production systems. It will host concert residencies, sporting events, and brand showcases.
In the announcement, Sphere Entertainment CEO James Dolan said Abu Dhabi’s ambition and infrastructure made it “a natural home for Sphere,” adding that the venue will help establish Yas Island as a regional destination for immersive entertainment.
HE Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, chairman of DCT, framed the project as a long‑term investment in the emirate’s cultural and tourism infrastructure, saying the Sphere will serve as “a platform for Emirati culture, Emirati talent and Emirati storytelling, shared with the world on the grandest stage ever built.”
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