Abu Dhabi outperforms 318 rival destinations to lead the Eventex Top 50 Cities for Events 2026

Abu Dhabi has claimed first place in the Eventex Top 50 Cities for Events 2026 with 2,015 points, built on 16 award-winning events and 7 venue wins — a result that puts it ahead of Warsaw. The result headlines the release of the Eventex Index for 2026, a set of annual rankings that track sustained excellence across the events and experience marketing industry, alongside a new ranking for the year's top countries.

The top cities for events

Built on three editions of Eventex Awards results — 2024, 2025, and 2026 — the Eventex Top 50 Cities 2026 draws on 3,851 entries from 79 countries. Of the 319 cities that earned points in that span, 50 made the list.

• Abu Dhabi — 2,015 points
• Warsaw — 1,865 points
• Doha — 1,775 points
• Dubai — 1,630 points
• London — 1,435 points

Across the ranking, points accumulate over multiple editions, rewarding consistency rather than a single standout moment.

"An award-winning event needs more than a great idea and a great team behind it — it needs the right place to happen. The cities and countries in this year's rankings are the ones that keep giving organizers that foundation, again and again, across every edition we measure. Destinations don't just host excellence — they help create it," says Ovanes Ovanessian, Co-founder of Eventex Awards.

Countries also recognized

The release of the Eventex Index also includes the Eventex Top 50 Countries for Events 2026, drawn from the 68 countries that earned points across the same three editions. 

The United States leads, followed by the United Arab Emirates, Poland, Spain, and the United Kingdom.

Three trends stand out across the city and country rankings:

• The Gulf sets the pace. Four of the top six cities are in the Gulf: Abu Dhabi, Doha, Dubai, and Riyadh. The UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar all rank among the top seven countries.
• Central and Eastern Europe punches above its weight. Poland ranks third among countries, ahead of Spain and the United Kingdom. Latvia and Hungary also place above France, and Riga and Budapest both place above Paris.
• The US wins on breadth. The United States has hosted more award-winning events than any other country, yet no US city makes the top ten. Its strength is spread across many cities rather than concentrated in one.

The 2026 Eventex Index is available here.

About Eventex Awards

Founded in 2009 to celebrate creativity, innovation, and effectiveness in the industry, today Eventex Awards is the most esteemed international recognition in the world of events and experiential marketing. Every year, the awards highlight the best events, brand experiences, tech, suppliers, and venues from the world of events.

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