IIFA Awards tease return to Abu Dhabi after two years
One of Bollywood's biggest events is coming back to Abu Dhabi after two years. The International Indian Film Academy Awards, better known as the IIFAs , has teased its return to the capital in 2027, after moving to Jaipur last year for its 25th-anniversary celebrations. The location and dates for this year's IIFA Awards have yet to be confirmed, however. Organisers previously said the event would…
Bollywood's largest annual spectacle, the International Indian Film Academy Awards, is set to make its return to Abu Dhabi after a two-year hiatus. The IIFA Awards, also known as the IIFAs, announced its plans to resume in 2027, following their relocation to Jaipur last year for their 25th-anniversary celebrations. The specific dates and full schedule for the 2026 edition remain undisclosed, with tickets slated for release in the near future on the IIFA website's platform.
Organizers of the event teased the news through a promotional video shared on their social media channels, hinting at a grand return to a location they know well. The footage featured iconic visuals of Abu Dhabi, showcasing landmarks such as Yas Island and Louvre Abu Dhabi, reinforcing the anticipation for the awards to be reestablished in the UAE capital.
The city had previously hosted the IIFA ceremony for three consecutive years, from 2022 to 2024, marking a significant period of shared history between the event and Abu Dhabi.
This renewed partnership echoes a relationship that began in 2022 when the awards were first moved to Yas Island. Subsequent editions in 2023 and 2024 were expanded into a three-day festival at Etihad Arena, drawing some of the most esteemed figures in Indian cinema. Notable hosts included Shah Rukh Khan, Karan Johar, and Vicky Kaushal, alongside the popular IIFA Utsavam, showcasing films from Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, and Kannada industries, along with IIFA Rocks, celebrating music and fashion.
Prior to Abu Dhabi, the IIFA Awards traditionally traveled to various international locales each year since their inception in London in 2000. The ceremony has graced cities such as Dubai, Bangkok, New York, Amsterdam, Madrid, Kuala Lumpur, and Macau, with Dubai serving as a frequent host from 2006 until Abu Dhabi emerged as the event's longest-running recent home.
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