UAE To Host Two Global Golf Tournaments On The 2026 HotelPlanner Tour Calendar

The HotelPlanner Tour has confirmed that the UAE will again feature on its global 2026 schedule, with two tournaments forming part of the "Road to Mallorca" season. The Abu Dhabi Challenge and the RAKBANK UAE Challenge will both return, reinforcing the country’s role in international professional golf.

The 2026 HotelPlanner Tour calendar includes 28 tournaments across 19 countries on three continents, including events in the UAE. The total prize fund is set at €9 million. The season carries the "Road to Mallorca" title, reflecting that the campaign builds towards the finale in Spain.

The Abu Dhabi Challenge will be staged from 16 to 19 April 2026 at Al Ain Equestrian, Shooting and Golf Club. The event is supported by Abu Dhabi Sports Council. One week later, from 23 to 26 April 2026, the RAKBANK UAE Challenge will take place at Al Zorah Golf Club in Ajman.

Both UAE tournaments will run in consecutive weeks and will welcome many of the world’s leading emerging golf talents. Their inclusion marks the Tour’s return to the UAE for a fourth straight season. Officials say this underlines the country’s consistent organisational record and its growing status on the global golf calendar.

The Abu Dhabi Challenge and RAKBANK UAE Challenge form part of a long-term partnership between the European Tour Group and the Emirates Golf Federation. That agreement supports the development of elite competition in the region. It also helps provide more international playing opportunities for rising professionals within the Middle East and beyond.

Within the wider schedule, England will again stage a HotelPlanner Tour event in 2026, after a three-year absence. Estonia will appear on the calendar for the first time. Estonia becomes the 52nd nation to host a HotelPlanner Tour tournament since the circuit started in 1989.

At season’s end, the top 15 players on the final rankings will secure DP World Tour playing cards for the following year. Those players will also receive guaranteed minimum earnings of US$150,000, if they play at least 15 DP World Tour events in 2027. This route is designed to support players progressing to golf’s higher levels.

With inputs from WAM