This year’s edition of Dubai Active, Dubai Muscle Show and Dubai Active Industry promises to be special for several reasons.
Come October, the Middle East’s largest health, fitness and wellness event will throw open its doors for the 10th time, celebrating a landmark anniversary at the forefront of the industry and continuing its mission to champion movement of all stripes across the region.
Cast your mind back to 2016, and the event’s rise feels all the more remarkable.
What began as a single bodybuilding competition has grown into one of the most recognisable fixtures on the global health and fitness calendar.
Few, however, can match Dubai Active, Dubai Muscle Show and Dubai Active Industry’s eclectic mix of experiences, competitions, conferences and opportunities.
From 30 October to 1 November 2026, more than 45,000 visitors are expected to walk the halls of Dubai Exhibition Centre, Expo City.
Among them will be a diverse audience of fitness enthusiasts, athletes, industry professionals, buyers, distributors, retailers and decision-makers from across the GCC and beyond.
They’ll be welcomed by 450 leading brands spanning every corner of the industry, including equipment, technology, wellness, recovery, nutrition, apparel and education.
As IEG Middle East and Dubai Sports Council promise to go ‘bigger and bolder’ than ever before, visitors can experience an action-packed programme featuring HYROX 365 powered by GymNation, HERXX Edition, the Yoga & Reformer Pilates Studio, the Binous Classic bodybuilding championships, padel, combat sports, the Official Strongman Games and much more.
Alongside the consumer experience, Dubai Active Industry will host a comprehensive itinerary of B2B conferences, networking events and business matchmaking, supported by an all-new AI-powered app designed to help professionals connect, arrange meetings and discover new opportunities.
The bustling schedule is testament to just how far the event has come.
A decade on from those initial posedowns, it now sits at the heart of the Middle East’s health and fitness ecosystem, serving as the connective tissue that brings the entire industry together.
In its role as an official media partner, Gymfluencers caught up with Tom Reece, Marketing Director at IEG Middle East, to reflect on 10 incredible years, preview what’s in store for 2026 and look ahead to the next chapter.
Talking 10 Years of Dubai Active, Dubai Muscle Show and Dubai Active Industry
First and foremost, congratulations on reaching your 10th anniversary. How does it feel to celebrate such an important milestone?
Over the past decade, we’ve grown from a single event into the Middle East’s leading health, fitness and wellness platform, bringing together global brands, industry leaders, athletes and an engaged community under one roof.
More than anything, it’s a celebration of the people who have made the journey possible, our exhibitors, sponsors, partners, speakers, ambassadors and visitors who have supported us year after year. Their trust has enabled us to continuously evolve, innovate and raise the standard for the industry.
As we celebrate our 10th edition, we’re not just reflecting on how far we’ve come; we’re looking ahead to the next decade. Our focus remains on creating even greater value for our partners, championing healthier lifestyles, and continuing to position Dubai as a global hub for health, fitness and wellness.
When you look back at where it all began with a bodybuilding competition in 2016, what stands out most about the journey you’ve been on over the past decade?
Although I joined the team in 2020, I’ve had the privilege of being part of a period of significant growth and evolution for the event. Looking back at the journey since it began as a bodybuilding competition in 2016, what stands out most is the strength of the relationships that have been built across the industry.
I’ve seen first-hand the collaboration and support we’ve received from exhibitors, sponsors, partners and the wider fitness community, particularly during major moments such as our venue transition and periods of uncertainty.
Like any event that has been running for a decade, there have also been challenging periods, but those moments have highlighted just how resilient and supportive this industry is. Seeing partners continue to back the event, collaborate with us, and share our long-term vision has been incredibly rewarding.
This year’s goal is to go “bigger and bolder” than ever before. What does that mean in practical terms, and how will visitors experience that when they walk through the doors?
For us, “bigger and bolder” isn’t just about increasing the size of the event, it’s about creating more meaningful experiences and giving our community even more reasons to attend.
This year, we’re incredibly excited to be partnering with Binous to host the Binous Classic Bodybuilding Competition, bringing one of the region’s most respected names in bodybuilding into the heart of the event. It’s a collaboration that elevates the competition and reflects our commitment to working with industry leaders to deliver the very best experience.
We’re also significantly expanding our functional fitness offering, with a larger HYROX presence and an enhanced combat sports feature that reflects the growing popularity of these disciplines across the region. These areas have seen huge growth in recent years, and we want to ensure the event evolves alongside the interests of our audience.
Alongside these headline attractions, visitors can expect a host of new features, experiences and initiatives designed to inspire, educate and entertain. From interactive brand activations and expert-led content to new community spaces and wellness-focused experiences, every hall has been carefully curated to offer something fresh.
Some huge names have already been announced across the events, including Chris Cormier, Breon Ansley and C4 Energy. Without giving too much away, can you tease anything else attendees can look forward to?
We’re incredibly excited about the announcements we’ve already made, but there is still a lot more to come. We have some major names, brands and athletes that we can’t wait to reveal, many of whom will be attending the event for the very first time.
Beyond individual announcements, we’re also focused on creating new collaborations with brands, communities and organisations that will introduce the event to thousands of new visitors and further expand our reach across the region.
The 10th anniversary edition is about celebrating our legacy while continuing to push boundaries, and these partnerships are a big part of that. We’re bringing together some of the biggest names in fitness, wellness and sport, while creating new experiences that will make this year’s event truly memorable.
Can you give us an insight into what goes into delivering the Middle East’s largest health, fitness and wellness event? What happens behind the scenes that visitors rarely get to see?
What visitors experience over three days is really the result of months of planning, collaboration and strategic thinking behind the scenes. Long before the doors open, we’re working with our team, partners and stakeholders to identify new opportunities for growth, emerging industry trends and the experiences that will deliver the greatest value to our audience.
A huge part of our role is building and maintaining relationships. We spend the year meeting with brands, gyms, distributors, athletes, investors and community leaders, not just to invite them to the event, but to understand their challenges and how we can create a platform that helps them achieve their objectives.
Our goal is to be much more than an exhibition; we want to be a year-round partner that connects the industry and helps businesses grow.
One of the biggest developments this year is the launch of our new Dubai Active Industry Advisory Board. We’ve brought together respected leaders from across the health, fitness and wellness industry, and we’ll be meeting with them regularly to ensure the event continues to evolve in line with the needs of the market.
Their insight will help shape everything from content and features to networking opportunities and future initiatives.
Ultimately, the success of an event like this comes down to listening. Behind the scenes, we’re constantly asking how we can create more value for our exhibitors, sponsors, visitors and partners, ensuring that every edition is stronger than the last and continues to support the growth of the industry across the Middle East.
The event has always been known for its packed programme. Are there any new features, experiences or activations this year that you’re particularly excited about?
Our programme has always been one of the key pillars of the event, and this year we’ve taken things to another level by introducing new experiences while continuing to grow some of the features our audience already loves.
One of the biggest highlights will be the Binous Classic Bodybuilding Competition, which will be the biggest amateur bodybuilding competition in the world. This collaboration represents exactly what we want the event to stand for, bringing together the biggest names and communities in the industry to create truly world-class experiences.
We’re also excited to bring back and expand some of our most popular features, including the Middle East’s Strongest Man in collaboration with Strong Gym, an even bigger HYROX 365 Challenge powered by Gymnation, and our Combat feature with Team Nogueira, showcasing some of the region’s fastest-growing sporting disciplines.
A particularly exciting addition this year is XX Hers Edition, a dedicated women’s participation-over-performance experience designed to celebrate female strength, confidence and community within fitness. It’s an important step in continuing to make the event more inclusive and representative of the diverse fitness audience we serve.
And, of course, with this being our 10th anniversary edition, we have some very special surprises planned that we can’t reveal just yet.
We’re focused on creating moments that celebrate our history while delivering an experience that feels completely new and unforgettable for everyone who walks through the doors.
Dubai has seen its fitness culture grow dramatically over the past decade. Do you feel the sheer diversity of the event – from padel and bodybuilding to Strongman, HYROX and beyond – reflects that evolution?
Yes, absolutely. Our event is a reflection of the industry, and our role is to provide the platform that brings all of these communities, disciplines and audiences together.
Over the past decade, we’ve seen fitness evolve significantly in Dubai and across the region. It’s no longer just about traditional gym training or bodybuilding, it’s now a much broader lifestyle movement that includes functional fitness, endurance sports, racquet sports, combat, wellness, recovery and many other areas.
When we look at introducing new features, sectors or content, we don’t do so simply because they are trending. We spend time researching, listening to the community and understanding where the industry is heading to ensure every addition delivers value and resonates with our audience.
The diversity of the event is what makes it unique. Whether someone is a professional athlete, a weekend fitness enthusiast, a wellness consumer, an industry professional, or someone just starting their fitness journey, we want them to find something that inspires them.
Ultimately, our responsibility is to continue evolving alongside the industry and create a platform that celebrates every aspect of health, fitness and wellness as it continues to grow.
Finally, if the first decade was about growing the region’s leading fitness event, what does success look like over the next 10 years?
The first decade has been about building the foundation, growing the event, and establishing ourselves as the leading health, fitness and wellness platform in the region. The next 10 years are about taking that ambition even further and cementing the event as a must-attend fixture on the global fitness exhibition calendar.
We already have plans in place to continue driving innovation, creating new experiences, and strengthening collaborations across the industry. A key part of that future growth will be working closely with government entities, industry leaders and strategic partners to support the continued development of the health, fitness and wellness sector across the region.
Success for us is not just about becoming bigger, it’s about becoming more influential. It’s about creating a platform that attracts the world’s leading brands, athletes and communities, while continuing to provide meaningful value for our exhibitors, partners and visitors.
The foundations have been built over the past 10 years, but the next decade is where we believe we can truly position the event on the global stage and showcase the Middle East as one of the world’s leading destinations for health, fitness and wellness.
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