Eid al-Adha 2026 is expected around 26–29 May, beginning with the Day of Arafat. Known as the “Festival of Sacrifice,” it is the second of Islam’s two great Eids and brings the year’s longest consecutive public-holiday stretch in several countries — four days off in the UAE and Saudi Arabia. As with all Islamic holidays, the exact dates await the official moon sighting.
Expected dates for 2026 (to be confirmed)
Astronomical calculations place the Day of Arafat (9 Dhul-Hijjah) on Tuesday 26 May 2026, with Eid al-Adha on Wednesday 27 May. Our verified data reflects this across the region: Pakistan expects 27–29 May (with 28 May doubling as Youm-e-Takbeer), the UAE lists Arafat Day on 26 May plus Eid days 27–29 May, Saudi Arabia the same 26–29 May stretch, and India’s gazetted calendar marks Id-ul-Zuha (Bakrid) on 28 May. All lunar dates are expected and may shift by a day with the official announcement.
Public holiday status by country
- Pakistan: three days expected (27–29 May), overlapping Youm-e-Takbeer on 28 May.
- UAE: four days expected (26–29 May) — Arafat Day plus three Eid days.
- Saudi Arabia: four days expected (26–29 May), the year’s longest break.
- India: one gazetted holiday (28 May, Id-ul-Zuha); states may add more.
- UK/USA/Canada/Australia/Germany/France/Spain/Italy: not a public holiday.
Why this Eid brings the longest break
Unlike Eid al-Fitr’s three days, Eid al-Adha stretches to four in the Gulf because it includes the Day of Arafat — the pinnacle of the Hajj pilgrimage, when pilgrims gather on the plain of Arafat near Mecca. In 2026 the stretch runs Tuesday to Friday (26–29 May), which means Gulf workers get four consecutive days off with zero leave spent, and adding the weekend creates a six-day break. In Pakistan, the Wednesday-to-Friday Eid days (27–29 May) pair beautifully with a single Monday or Tuesday leave day.
What the festival involves
Eid al-Adha commemorates Prophet Ibrahim’s willingness to sacrifice his son, honoured through the sacrifice of an animal whose meat is shared in three parts: for the family, for relatives and friends, and for the poor. The Takbeer — declarations of God’s greatness — echo from mosques from the Day of Arafat through the Eid days. Practically, expect livestock markets in the preceding weeks, heavy travel as families gather, and festive but busy malls in the Gulf. As ever with lunar holidays: confirm the dates with the official announcement before finalising travel.
Hajj 2026: the pilgrimage behind the holiday
Eid al-Adha is inseparable from the Hajj, the annual pilgrimage to Mecca that every able Muslim is expected to complete once in a lifetime. The holiday’s first day — the expected 26 May 2026 Day of Arafat — is the pilgrimage’s pinnacle: millions of pilgrims gather on the plain of Arafat in prayer from noon to sunset, an ocean of white garments that is among the world’s most powerful human gatherings. The days that follow trace the Prophet Ibrahim’s story: the night at Muzdalifah, the stoning of the Jamarat pillars in Mina, the sacrifice, and the circling of the Kaaba. While pilgrims perform these rites, Muslims worldwide celebrate Eid with prayers, sacrifice and feasting. Even for non-pilgrims, the holiday’s timing is set by the pilgrimage — the moon that starts Dhul-Hijjah starts both.