Diageo World Class moves global final from Dubai to Scotland
The global final of Diageo World Class will no longer take place in Dubai and will instead be held in Scotland.
Yesterday (16 April), World Class posted an update on its Instagram page confirming the new location due to the current conflict in the Middle East.
The global final was scheduled to take place in Dubai this autumn. After the global final in Scotland this year, Diageo said it would take next year’s event to Dubai.
The statement from World Class said: “The World Class 2026 global final was due to be held in Dubai. However, given the current situation in the region, we have taken the difficult decision to relocate.
“We felt a change of location was necessary to ensure the event can go ahead safely and as planned. Though we are going somewhere new, we remain committed to our team and our partners in Dubai and we will bring World Class back to the city in 2027, to support the region’s hospitality industry and when we can host the event to its full potential.
“The global final programme itself remains unchanged – the same finalists, judging and experience.”
Diageo said it would announce more details in due course.
In March, as part of its partnership with Diageo, Tales of the Cocktail Foundation announced the top 15 US finalists for the 2026 World Class competition.
In other Dubai-related news, after originally rescheduling the 2026 edition of The Gulf Bar Show to early May, the show’s organisers have today confirmed the event will now take place in November and December this year.
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