GCC Marketing Calendar 2027
The dates Gulf brands plan their video campaigns around, for all six GCC states: national days, Ramadan, the two Eids & the big online sales. Each row gives the last day to send your brief, a planning note & the official or news source for the date.
Brief By is a month before the date, the least time we ask for: a 30-second commercial typically takes 2 to 3 weeks from brief to delivery, a longer brand film 4 to 8 weeks. For a date inside Ramadan, it is a month before Ramadan begins.
Every row checked against its source on 28 October 2026. Ramadan & Eid dates are forecasts until the moon is sighted.
Still Ahead in 2026
The rest of this year. A date leaves the list once it has passed.
| Date | Occasion | Countries | Brief By | Planning Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 NovemberFixed | UAE Flag Dayيوم العلم الإماراتي | UAE | Too Close for a New Film | In 2025 the official Eid Al Etihad accounts opened the season on Flag Day, so a short teaser fits here. Source: Abu Dhabi Media Office |
| 11 NovemberSet by Stores | 11.11 Salesتخفيضات 11.11Stores often run it for several days around 11 November | UAE, Saudi Arabia | Brief Now | Make one set of product videos for 11.11 & White Friday, then change the offer card for each sale. Source: Khaleej Times, Arab News |
| 20 NovemberFixed | Oman National Dayالعيد الوطني العُمانيDays off in 2026: 25 & 26 November | Oman | Brief Now | The days off are announced each year & can differ from the day itself, so check them before you book media. Source: Royal Decree 15/2025, Times of Oman |
| 27 to 30 NovemberSet by Stores | White Fridayالجمعة البيضاءFriday to Monday after US Thanksgiving; each store sets its own dates | UAE, Saudi Arabia | Brief Now | Run teasers from early November, then retarget the people who watched them on the sale days. Source: Amazon Ads |
| 2 DecemberFixed | Eid Al Etihad (UAE National Day)عيد الاتحادDays off: 2 & 3 December | UAE | Brief By: 2 November | Keep the greeting apart from White Friday offers. AI images or videos of national symbols need prior official approval from the National Media Authority, as our guide explains. Source: UAE Government Portal |
| 16 & 17 DecemberFixed | Bahrain National Day & Accession Dayالعيد الوطني البحريني وعيد الجلوسDays off announced each year | Bahrain | Brief By: 16 November | Two days in a row, 16 & 17 December: plan a National Day film & a second cut for the second day. Source: Bahrain Prime Minister's Office |
| 18 DecemberFixed | Qatar National Dayاليوم الوطني القطريDays off announced each year | Qatar | Brief By: 18 November | National & heritage stories suit AI production: history, places & people from any era. Source: Qatar News Agency |
2027 Month by Month
The dates still ahead in 2027, each with the brief-by day worked back from it.
| Date | Occasion | Countries | Brief By | Planning Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| February | ||||
| Around 8 FebruaryExpected | Ramadan Beginsبداية شهر رمضانLasts 29 or 30 days | All 6 GCC States | Brief By: 8 January | Ads are made & tested before the first fast: the earlier the brief, the more time to test hooks in January. Source: The National |
| 9 FebruaryFixed | Qatar National Sport Dayاليوم الرياضي للدولة في قطرSecond Tuesday of February | Qatar | Brief By: 8 January | Falls in Ramadan for the first time in 2027, so sport & wellness ads need a Ramadan tone. Source: Qatar News Agency |
| 22 FebruaryFixed | Saudi Founding Dayيوم التأسيس | Saudi Arabia | Brief By: 8 January | Expected inside Ramadan in 2027: write it for the fasting month & brief it with your Ramadan film. Source: Saudipedia, Ministry of Media |
| 25 & 26 FebruaryFixed | Kuwait National Day & Liberation Dayالعيد الوطني الكويتي وعيد التحرير | Kuwait | Brief By: 8 January | Both are expected inside Ramadan: one production can carry a Ramadan film & a National Day cut, each with its own end card. Source: Central Bank of Kuwait |
| March | ||||
| 9 or 10 MarchExpected | Eid al-Fitrعيد الفطر | All 6 GCC States | Brief By: 9 February | Have the greeting & gifting cuts ready before the last ten nights of Ramadan. Source: The National |
| 11 MarchFixed | Saudi Flag Dayيوم العلم السعودي | Saudi Arabia | Brief By: 11 February | Expected to fall in the Eid al-Fitr days in 2027, so plan it with your Eid content. Source: Saudipedia, Ministry of Media |
| May | ||||
| 16 or 17 MayExpected | Eid al-Adhaعيد الأضحىArafah Day the day before | All 6 GCC States | Brief By: 16 April | Gift sets sell in the weeks before Eid, so oud, fragrance & fashion ads go live early. Source: Khaleej Times |
| September | ||||
| 23 SeptemberFixed | Saudi National Dayاليوم الوطني السعودي | Saudi Arabia | Brief By: 23 August | Plan Arabic & English versions, every size & a new end card, all from one production. Source: Saudipedia, Ministry of Media |
| November | ||||
| 3 NovemberFixed | UAE Flag Dayيوم العلم الإماراتي | UAE | Brief By: 3 October | In 2025 the official Eid Al Etihad accounts opened the season on Flag Day, so a short teaser fits here. Source: Abu Dhabi Media Office |
| 11 NovemberSet by Stores | 11.11 Salesتخفيضات 11.11Stores often run it for several days around 11 November | UAE, Saudi Arabia | Brief By: 11 October | Make one set of product videos for 11.11 & White Friday, then change the offer card for each sale. Source: Khaleej Times, Arab News |
| 20 NovemberFixed | Oman National Dayالعيد الوطني العُمانيDays off announced each year | Oman | Brief By: 20 October | The days off are announced each year & can differ from the day itself, so check them before you book media. Source: Royal Decree 15/2025 |
| 26 to 29 NovemberSet by Stores | White Fridayالجمعة البيضاءFriday to Monday after US Thanksgiving; each store sets its own dates | UAE, Saudi Arabia | Brief By: 26 October | Run teasers from early November, then retarget the people who watched them on the sale days. Source: Amazon Ads |
| December | ||||
| 2 DecemberFixed | Eid Al Etihad (UAE National Day)عيد الاتحادDays off: 2 & 3 December | UAE | Brief By: 2 November | Keep the greeting apart from White Friday offers. AI images or videos of national symbols need prior official approval from the National Media Authority, as our guide explains. Source: UAE Government Portal |
| 16 & 17 DecemberFixed | Bahrain National Day & Accession Dayالعيد الوطني البحريني وعيد الجلوسDays off announced each year | Bahrain | Brief By: 16 November | Two days in a row, 16 & 17 December: plan a National Day film & a second cut for the second day. Source: Bahrain Prime Minister's Office |
| 18 DecemberFixed | Qatar National Dayاليوم الوطني القطريDays off announced each year | Qatar | Brief By: 18 November | National & heritage stories suit AI production: history, places & people from any era. Source: Qatar News Agency |
Where the Dates Overlap in 2027
Ramadan is expected from around 8 February to 9 March, & four national occasions fall inside it: Qatar's National Sport Day on 9 February, Saudi Founding Day on 22 February & Kuwait's National Day & Liberation Day on 25 & 26 February. Write those films for the fasting month & make them in the same production as your Ramadan campaign, each with its own end card, all approved before the month begins.
Eid al-Fitr is expected on 9 or 10 March, & Saudi Flag Day on 11 March falls in the Eid days, so plan it with your Eid content.
From November the dates come close together again: UAE Flag Day on 3 November, 11.11, Oman's National Day on 20 November, White Friday from 26 November & Eid Al Etihad on 2 December, then Bahrain on 16 & 17 December & Qatar on 18 December. Keep each sale apart from each national greeting, & brief the whole run by 3 October, a month before UAE Flag Day.
Fixed & Expected Dates
Fixed
National, founding & flag days fall on the same date every year, & Qatar's National Sport Day on the second Tuesday of February. The days off around them are set by each government & can move: for Oman's National Day in 2026 they were set on 25 & 26 November, not 20 November.
Expected
Ramadan & the two Eids follow the Hijri calendar, so they come earlier each year. The dates here are astronomers' forecasts until the moon sighting confirms them, & they can move by a day.
Set by Stores
White Friday & 11.11 are sales, not public holidays. Each store sets its own dates, often a few days either side.
We check every row against its source, update the page when a date is announced & refresh it each October for the year ahead.
Questions About the Calendar
- When does Ramadan 2027 start?
- The UAE's Astronomy Centre expects Ramadan 2027 to begin around 8 February, with Eid al-Fitr on 9 or 10 March, as reported by The National. The moon sighting sets the final dates, so leave a few days of margin in your plan.
- Which GCC dates are fixed?
- The national occasions fall on the same date every year, except Qatar's National Sport Day, which is always the second Tuesday of February. The others are Saudi Founding Day on 22 February, Kuwait's National Day & Liberation Day on 25 & 26 February, Saudi Flag Day on 11 March, Saudi National Day on 23 September, UAE Flag Day on 3 November, Oman's National Day on 20 November, Eid Al Etihad on 2 December, Bahrain's National Day & Accession Day on 16 & 17 December & Qatar National Day on 18 December. Check the days off each year, because they can move.
- When should we brief a National Day video?
- At least a month before the day. A 30-second commercial typically takes 2 to 3 weeks from brief to delivery & a longer brand film 4 to 8 weeks, including your approvals. In 2027 Saudi Founding Day & Kuwait's National Day & Liberation Day are expected inside Ramadan, so brief those a month before Ramadan begins, around 8 January.
- Do the dates change every year?
- The national days keep their dates, & Qatar's National Sport Day is always the second Tuesday of February. Ramadan & the two Eids come earlier each year because they follow the Hijri calendar, & White Friday moves with US Thanksgiving. We update this page when dates are announced & refresh it each October for the year ahead.
Plan Your Season
Tell us the date & the market. We plan back from it: concept, script, storyboard, then every version you need.