Mariah Carey will perform at Etihad Arena on Saturday, 12 December 2026.
ChristmasTime will focus on the superstar’s festive catalogue.
Tickets start from AED 249.
The Queen of Christmas will return to the capital for a festive spectacular at Etihad Arena.
Mariah Carey and Christmas have become practically inseparable. Now, the superstar is heading back to Abu Dhabi with ChristmasTime, a festive arena spectacular taking place at Etihad Arena on Saturday, 12 December 2026. The Abu Dhabi date follows a three-show run across England.
While the Mariah Carey show in Abu Dhabi will lean heavily into the singers festive catalogue, Christmas is only one chapter in an extraordinary career. Carey became a household name after the release of her self-titled debut album in 1990. Its lead single, “Vision of Love”, topped the Billboard Hot 100 and introduced the world to a vocalist whose range, runs and whistle register would become instantly recognisable. Her debut album spent 11 weeks at number one in the United States, while Carey collected her first two Grammy Awards, including Best New Artist, in 1991.
The hits continued across the following decades. “Hero”, “Fantasy”, “Always Be My Baby”, “One Sweet Day”, “Heartbreaker”, “Touch My Body” and “We Belong Together” have all become defining moments in her catalogue, spanning pop, R&B and hip-hop. Carey has achieved 19 Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles, more than any other solo artist. She has also sold more than 200 million albums worldwide and won five Grammy Awards.
Yet one song has developed a life all of its own.
Released as part of the Merry Christmas album in 1994, “All I Want for Christmas Is You” transformed Carey from pop superstar into an annual festive fixture. Its combination of sleigh bells, soaring vocals and retro Christmas pop has allowed the track to find new audiences every December. More than two decades after its original release, it finally reached number one in the United Kingdom in December 2020.
Its staying power has only increased. The track has repeatedly returned to the upper reaches of charts around the world during the festive season, while Carey’s Christmas concerts have evolved into major productions filled with seasonal staging, dancers, carols and tracks from across her career. Previous shows have included “Oh Santa!”, “O Holy Night”, “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)” and “Joy to the World”, alongside her biggest non-festive releases.
For Abu Dhabi fans, the 2026 show marks a significant return. Carey last performed in the capital in February 2026 for Saadiyat Nights.
Tickets to see Mariah Carey live at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi start from AED 249 and go on sale on Thursday, 15 October 2026 at 12pm.
Where: Etihad Arena, Yas Island, Abu Dhabi
When: Saturday, 12 December 2026
Contact: www.etihadarena.ae