Dubai World Cup to go ahead despite heavy rainfall

Despite heavy rainfall in the city this week, the 30th edition of the Dubai World Cup is still set to proceed as planned on Saturday 28 March.

Residents across the emirates have experienced several days of unsettled conditions as the storm system has delivered successive waves of rainfall since the weekend.

The worst of the rain now appears to have passed after Dubai was hit by a heavy storm in the early hours of Friday morning, with thunder and lightning sweeping across the city.

The National Center of Meteorology has forecasted conditions to ease heading into Saturday.

On Saturday cloud cover is expected to diminish across the country, bringing clearer skies, though cooler temperatures and northwesterly winds are expected.

According to AccuWeather, fans attending the Dubai World Cup can expect “partly sunny, breezy and less humid” weather on Saturday.

Despite a turbulent few days, Dubai Racing Club always remained confident that the event would go ahead as usual.

What happens if it does rain on Saturday?

If rain was to arrive during the Dubai World Cup, the event almost always still goes ahead, with weather rarely causing any major disruption to racing in Dubai.

At Meydan Racecourse, facilities are specifically designed to cope with wet conditions, including advanced drainage systems that allow racing to continue even during periods of rain. Light to moderate showers typically have little to no impact on the schedule, while powerful floodlights ensure races can proceed even in reduced visibility.

The nature of the track also plays an important role. The headline Dubai World Cup race is run on dirt, a surface that handles rain far better than turf. As a result, dirt races usually continue with minimal issues, even in heavier conditions. Turf races, however, are more sensitive to rainfall and may be delayed, moved, or, in rare cases, cancelled if the ground becomes unsafe.

Safety remains the top priority throughout. Officials continuously monitor track conditions, horse welfare, and jockey visibility. While extreme weather is uncommon in Dubai, races can be delayed or rescheduled if necessary, and only in very rare circumstances would an event be abandoned entirely.