Dubai is getting 9 new malls and retail hubs. Here is what is opening and where

Dubai: Dubai residents will soon have more places to shop, eat, exercise and access everyday services, with nine new malls and community retail destinations planned across the city.

The pipeline stretches from Nad Al Sheba and Sobha Hartland to Liwan, The Villa, Dubai South, Ghaf Woods and Dubai Creek Harbour.

The Grand will be the first to welcome visitors, with a phased opening beginning on August 19. Sobha Mall and two Le Meryeme developments are also scheduled for completion during 2026, while several larger projects are planned for the years ahead.

Here are the nine destinations coming to Dubai and what visitors can expect.

1. The Grand opens on August 19

The Grand at Nad Al Sheba Gardens will begin opening in phases from August 19, bringing shops, restaurants, cafés, healthcare, wellness and everyday services to the growing residential community.

The fully leased destination will be anchored by the first Waitrose & Partners supermarket in Nad Al Sheba.

Waitrose, MMI, Heart Cottage Lane, Maple Bear Nursery, Al Jaber Optical and Fixperts will open during the first phase. Tashas, Somewhere, Home Bakery, Kokoro, Blu Pizzeria, Bake My Day, Daima, Staywell Pharmacy and Tips & Toes are expected to follow from early September.

Fitcode and American Hospital are scheduled to join the centre in early 2027, completing its health and wellness offering.

2. Sobha Mall due by late 2026

Sobha Realty is developing a Dh210 million community mall at Sobha Hartland, marking the developer’s entry into Dubai’s retail sector.

The 339,000-square-foot destination is expected to be completed during the second half of 2026.

Plans include 35 retail and food and beverage outlets, more than 10 dining options, a supermarket, gym, play courts and an indoor entertainment area.

The mall is designed to serve residents within Sobha Hartland while attracting visitors from surrounding neighbourhoods.

3. Le Meryeme Mall - Liwan

Le Meryeme Mall in Liwan is scheduled to open during the second half of 2026 in Wadi Al Safa 2.

The development will cover approximately 113,674 square feet and feature retail stores, restaurants, cafés, landscaped areas and a swimming pool.

Its Spanish-inspired design will combine natural light, greenery and open spaces, creating a smaller lifestyle destination centred on dining, leisure and neighbourhood shopping.

4. Le Meryeme Mall in The Villa

A second Le Meryeme destination is being developed in Wadi Al Safa 5, close to The Villa residential community.

The 124,000-square-foot mall is scheduled for completion during the third quarter of 2026.

Plans include shops, family dining, landscaped areas and dedicated wellness and leisure facilities. Its design will connect indoor and outdoor areas and place greater emphasis on natural light and open spaces.

5. South Bay Mall in Dubai South

South Bay Mall will bring about 200,000 square feet of shopping, dining and leisure space to the Dubai South Residential District.

The mall will extend across ground, first and rooftop levels, with open-air walkways and views across the South Bay lagoon.

Plans include 60 retail units, two large stores, a premium food hall, outdoor leisure areas, a clubhouse, gym, spa and clinic.

An opening date has yet to be announced.

6. HAYAT community mall

A community mall and retail boulevard will form part of HAYAT by Dubai South, a 10-million-square-foot residential development near Al Maktoum International Airport.

The retail area will include shops, cafés and essential services for residents of the planned community, which will contain about 2,500 homes.

HAYAT will also feature parks, shaded walking trails, fitness and wellness facilities, swimming pools, landscaped gardens, lagoons and a community lake.

Construction was scheduled to begin during the second quarter of 2026, with the initial phases expected to be completed by 2028.

7. New mall near Al Maktoum Airport

Majid Al Futtaim will develop a large shopping mall within a new Dh62 billion mixed-use community near Al Maktoum International Airport.

The mall will serve as the retail and entertainment anchor of the 22-million-square-foot development in Dubai South.

Detailed plans, including the mall’s name, size, tenant mix and opening date, have yet to be announced.

The wider community is expected to combine homes, shops, leisure facilities and other lifestyle destinations, with access to major roads and transport links around Dubai South.

8. Ghaf Woods Mall

Ghaf Woods Mall will sit at the centre of Majid Al Futtaim’s Dh15.4 billion Ghaf Woods community along Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road.

The forest-integrated destination will combine shopping, dining, entertainment and leisure facilities within a development containing more than 30,000 trees.

It will become Majid Al Futtaim’s 30th mall when completed. An opening date has yet to be confirmed.

The project is designed around nature, outdoor activity and wellbeing, moving away from the conventional enclosed mall format.

9. Dubai Square at Dubai Creek Harbour

Dubai Square is planned as a large indoor city within Dubai Creek Harbour, combining retail, dining, entertainment and technology-led experiences.

The development is expected to cover about 2.6 million square metres and will contain spaces wide enough for electric vehicles to travel through.

It will be connected to the planned Dubai Creek Tower and is currently expected to open in 2028.

The project was first announced in 2018 before Emaar revised its plans in 2024.

Major expansions at existing malls

Dubai’s established shopping destinations are also growing, with Dh1.5 billion being invested in an expansion of Dubai Mall that will add 240 luxury retail and dining outlets.

Mall of the Emirates is undergoing a Dh5 billion redevelopment that will introduce 100 stores and new dining, entertainment and social spaces.

An outdoor food and beverage courtyard covered in greenery is expected to open at Mall of the Emirates in early 2027.