Paul Smith joins star-studded Abu Dhabi Comedy Season lineup at Etihad Arena: Tickets, date

Fair warning, Abu Dhabi: if you're sitting anywhere near the front at Etihad Arena this January, you might just end up part of the show.

Paul Smith, the Liverpool comedian is officially joining the lineup for Abu Dhabi Comedy Season's third edition. He will take the stage on 31 January 2027, bringing his rapid-fire wit and unscripted crowd banter to UAE.

If you've spent any time on comedy TikTok or Instagram over the past few years, chances are you've already met Paul Smith without knowing it. He is the guy behind those viral clips where an innocent chat with someone in the third row spirals into the funniest, most chaotic five minutes of the night. As a longtime headliner at Liverpool's Hot Water Comedy Club, Smith has built his reputation less on rehearsed material and more on razor-sharp instincts.

That unpredictability is exactly the point. No two Paul Smith shows look the same, because no two audiences are the same, and Etihad Arena is about to find out what that feels like live.

He joins a lineup that's shaping up to be one of the season's strongest yet, following previously announced names like Morgan Jay, Maz Jobrani, Mo Amer, and Russell Peters. It's all part of Abu Dhabi Comedy Season's third year running, produced by Live Nation Middle East alongside Abu Dhabi's Department of Culture and Tourism and Miral, the team behind some of the capital's most immersive entertainment experiences. After two editions packed with sold-out nights and big international names, the pressure's on to keep the laughs (and the surprises) coming, and Smith's crowd-work chaos feels like exactly the right addition.

The details
Etihad Arena, Yas Island, Abu Dhabi
31 January 2027

Getting tickets
Mastercard holders get first dibs, with general presale running from Tuesday, 25 August at 12pm through Thursday, 27 August at 12pm. If you're rocking a World, World Elite, or World Legend Mastercard, you've already had early access since 27 July at 12pm.