Walking and running tracks will fill six of Dubai’s busiest shopping centres for three consecutive months beginning June 15, as the emirate revives a free summer fitness programme that drew a Guinness World Record in its debut year.
The second edition of Dubai Mallathon, launched on the directive of Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence of the UAE, and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai, opens daily access to indoor circuits at Dubai Mall, Mall of the Emirates, Mirdif City Centre, Dubai Festival City Mall, Deira City Centre and Dubai Hills Mall. The venues offer cooled, weather-protected spaces where residents can stay active despite the peak heat of the season.
No sign-up or fee is required. Anyone can walk into a participating mall and pick up a wristband on the spot, which unlocks discounts and perks at stores, restaurants and cafés inside. Those rewards grow the more often a participant turns up, a structure built to keep people coming back through the summer.
Each day from June 15 to September 15, the malls operate as community spaces between 6am and 10am, open to participants of every age and nationality. Dedicated tracks for walking and running run alongside sports sessions and programmes pitched at varied fitness levels. Certified trainers will be stationed across the venues to run warm-ups and advise participants on exercising safely for their age and ability.
Specific provisions target groups who might otherwise be left out. Women-only activities are planned at Dubai Mall and Mirdif City Centre, with separate offerings for senior citizens and People of Determination. Weekend races across all six malls will hand out prizes, medals and gifts to keep turnout high.
Sheikh Hamdan framed the initiative as part of Dubai’s wider approach to public wellbeing. “Health and quality of life are the foundation of thriving societies and essential to empowering people, enhancing their well-being, and enabling them to contribute, innovate and succeed,” he said.
He described the city’s cohesion as the quality that sets it apart. “What distinguishes Dubai is its strong sense of community. Dubai is one family united by the values of coexistence, tolerance and compassion. Sport embodies these values as a universal language that brings people together and channels their energy towards positive goals and shared values. That is why we continue to launch community sports initiatives that strengthen these bonds and translate them into everyday experiences,” he said.
The Crown Prince called on government bodies, semi-government entities, private firms and youth councils to join as groups and back their staff in taking up healthier routines, adding: “Leading by example remains one of the most effective ways to inspire positive change and build a more active and vibrant society.”
The programme ties into the Dubai Quality of Life Strategy 2033 and supports the UAE’s ‘Year of the Family’ 2026, which promotes shared activity among relatives. Sheikh Hamdan said Dubai, under the vision of Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, would keep building a year-round model that lets everyone live actively.
Run in partnership with the Dubai Sports Council, the return follows a first edition that pulled in thousands of participants. That debut set a Guinness World Record for the largest mall running event of its kind, with 1,392 people competing in a single race at Dubai Hills Mall.
