Dubai’s retail map is expanding again, but the next wave of malls looks very different from the traditional mega-shopping-centre model. Alongside huge destinations such as Dubai Square and Skylight Mall, the pipeline includes neighbourhood retail hubs, waterfront developments and malls built into fast-growing communities such as Dubai South, Palm Jebel Ali and Ghaf Woods.
Not every project has a confirmed opening date yet, and one destination on the original list has already begun welcoming visitors. Here is the current status of 13 of Dubai’s most notable new and upcoming retail destinations.
1) Skylight Mall
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One of the newest confirmed additions is Skylight Mall, a major new destination from Dubai Retail scheduled to open in 2027.
Located along Al Khail Road, the super-regional mall will offer around 1.3 million square feet of gross leasable area and more than 360 stores. Retail will be joined by restaurants, entertainment and everyday services, with the mall positioned to serve communities including Jumeirah Village Triangle, Jumeirah Islands and The Springs.
Specific brands and attractions have not yet been announced.
Where: Al Khail Road, Dubai | When: 2027 | Stores: More than 360
2) The Plaza, formerly Lamcy Plaza
One of old Dubai’s most familiar malls is preparing for a comeback.
The former Lamcy Plaza in Oud Metha is being redeveloped and will return under a new name: The Plaza. The current target is the first half of 2027, although the timing remains tentative and an exact reopening date has not been announced.
Lamcy Plaza originally opened in 1997 and was known for its four floors of shops, food court, cinema and the famous climbing clown in its atrium. Details of The Plaza’s new tenant mix and facilities are still being kept under wraps.
Where: Oud Metha, Dubai | When: Tentatively first half of 2027 | Formerly: Lamcy Plaza
3) Dubai Square
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Dubai Square will be on an entirely different scale.
Emaar is developing the destination as the retail and entertainment centrepiece of Dubai Creek Harbour, with the wider project covering retail, hospitality and commercial spaces across approximately 2.6 million square metres.
The developer has described Dubai Square as a highly technology-led destination and plans to introduce a drive-through retail concept, alongside shopping, dining and entertainment. Emaar announced in December 2025 that the mall was scheduled to open in approximately three years, placing the current target around 2028.
Where: Dubai Creek Harbour | Expected: Around 2028
4) Ghaf Woods Mall
Majid Al Futtaim is taking a much greener approach with Ghaf Woods Mall.
The mall will sit inside the AED 15.4 billion Ghaf Woods community along Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road and is being developed as a forest-integrated shopping and leisure destination.
Rather than separating the mall from its surroundings, the concept is designed around biophilic architecture, nature, retail, food, leisure, and lifestyle experiences. It will become Majid Al Futtaim’s 30th mall when completed.
An official opening date has not yet been announced, so any specific launch year should still be treated cautiously.
Where: Ghaf Woods, Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road | Opening: TBC
5) The Yard at Palm Jebel Ali
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Palm Jebel Ali will get its first dedicated retail and lifestyle destination with The Yard.
Dubai Retail has confirmed that the waterfront development will open in 2027, with approximately 70,000 square feet of gross leasable space and 26 concepts across retail, dining, healthcare, wellness and family services.
Confirmed names already include Waitrose, American Hospital, Bateel Café, Friends Avenue, Piccoli and Jumeirah International Nursery.
Outdoor terraces, communal areas and direct links to the waterfront promenade will make The Yard more of a neighbourhood lifestyle hub than a conventional enclosed mall.
Where: Palm Jebel Ali | When: 2027 | Concepts: 26
6) First Avenue Mall Jumeirah
A new community-focused retail destination is also preparing to open in Jumeirah.
First Avenue Mall Jumeirah describes itself as a new address for retail, dining, wellness and family life, with its official website continuing to list an opening in 2026.
The project is expected to have a particularly strong food-and-beverage element, with concepts reported for the development including Jon & Vinny’s, Nala and Lost in Tokyo.
However, a precise public opening date has not been confirmed, so it is safer to keep the timing at 2026 rather than assign a specific day.
Where: Jumeirah, Dubai | When: 2026; exact opening date TBC
7) Sobha Mall
Sobha Realty is making its first major move into mall development with a new retail destination inside Sobha Hartland.
The AED210 million project is designed to combine shopping with an urban-park environment, bringing together retail, dining, recreation and community spaces.
Sobha says the mall is scheduled for completion in the second half of 2026. The project is expected to cover roughly 339,000 square feet and include a supermarket, gym, restaurants and family entertainment.
Completion and public opening are not necessarily on the same date, so an exact launch day should not be assumed until Sobha confirms it.
Where: Sobha Hartland, Dubai | Completion: Second half of 2026
8) Le Meryeme Mall Liwan
Le Meryeme’s second major community retail project is progressing in Liwan, Wadi Al Safa 2.
The Spanish-inspired development will cover approximately 113,674 square feet, combining shops, cafés, restaurants, healthcare, fitness and family leisure with courtyards and shaded outdoor areas.
LuLu Hypermarket has now been confirmed as the anchor tenant, while the developer says practical completion is targeted for the fourth quarter of 2026.
That is a more accurate description than stating that the mall has a confirmed public opening date, which has not yet been announced.
Where: Liwan, Wadi Al Safa 2 | Practical completion: Q4 2026
9) Hind City’s new Awqaf shopping centre
One of the newest projects on the list was only announced in October 2026.
Awqaf Dubai and Voco Investments are developing an AED73 million shopping centre in Hind City on a 90,400-square-foot plot.
The two-storey development will contain 40 retail outlets and is scheduled for completion within two years of its October 2026 announcement. The project is also unusual because rental proceeds from the development will be directed towards supporting mosque affairs in Dubai.
No tenant list or exact opening date has yet been released.
Where: Hind City, Dubai | Stores: 40 | Completion: Planned within two years
10) Le Meryeme Mall The Villa
This is the major status change to know.
Le Meryeme Mall The Villa is no longer simply an upcoming project. The development in Wadi Al Safa 5 soft-opened on October 1, 2026, with its first retail, beauty, healthcare, and service businesses already operating.
Current tenants include MUMUSO, Medicina Pharmacy, NovaSkin, Tips & Toes and Clean Touch Laundry. Selected MyPT experiences, including padel, swimming and rooftop yoga, are also being introduced as the destination opens in phases.
Additional dining, fitness, family and lifestyle concepts will follow as the mall continues its phased launch.
Where: The Villa, Wadi Al Safa 5 | Status: Soft-opened October 1, 2026
11) South Bay Mall
Dubai South is also getting a dedicated retail and lifestyle destination at its South Bay residential community.
South Bay Mall will cover approximately 200,000 square feet across ground, first and rooftop levels, overlooking the development’s lagoon.
Plans include 60 retail units, two anchor stores, a premium food hall, gym, spa, clinic, clubhouse and outdoor leisure spaces, as well as parking for more than 400 vehicles.
Dubai South has confirmed the project, but no official opening date has yet been announced.
Where: South Bay, Dubai South | Stores: Around 60 retail units | Opening: TBC
12) HAYAT community mall
A community mall and retail boulevard will form part of HAYAT by Dubai South, a major new residential development close to Al Maktoum International Airport.
HAYAT covers around 10 million square feet and is planned around approximately 2,500 homes, with parks, wellness facilities, lagoons, landscaped areas and community amenities alongside retail.
The development’s initial phases are expected to be completed by 2028, but Dubai South has not given the community mall a separate confirmed opening date.
That distinction is important: 2028 currently refers to the wider development’s early phases rather than a guaranteed opening day for the mall itself.
Where: HAYAT, Dubai South | Initial community phases: Expected by 2028 | Mall opening: TBC
13) A major new mall near Al Maktoum International Airport
Another significant mall is planned for Dubai South, but this one does not even have a public name yet.
Dubai South and Majid Al Futtaim have partnered on an AED 62 billion mixed-use community spanning 22 million square feet near Al Maktoum International Airport.
The master development will include homes, retail, entertainment and lifestyle facilities, with a large shopping mall serving as one of its main anchors.
Details including the mall’s official name, size, store count and opening date have not yet been announced, so anything more specific would currently be speculation.
Where: Dubai South, near Al Maktoum International Airport | Developer: Majid Al Futtaim with Dubai South | Opening: TBC
Dubai’s next generation of retail developments ranges from 360-store regional malls to compact neighbourhood hubs and waterfront destinations. Skylight Mall and The Yard already have 2027 targets; Dubai Square is moving towards a later opening, while projects such as Ghaf Woods Mall, South Bay Mall and the new Majid Al Futtaim destination in Dubai South still have important details to be confirmed.
The key point is that the list is already changing: Le Meryeme Mall The Villa has opened, while several other projects remain in development rather than having fixed launch dates. That makes the current status more useful than treating all 13 projects as if they are opening at the same time.