King’s Cup Dubai 2026: Ronaldinho, Xavi and Hazard Play Al Nasr on 28 November

King's Cup Dubai brings Ronaldinho, Xavi, Eden Hazard and a dozen more football legends to Al Nasr's Al Maktoum Stadium on Saturday 28 November 2026. Here is who is playing, the eight teams, tickets and how to get there.

Ishita Agrawal Published 14 Nov 2026 · 6 min read

Floodlit football pitch and stands during an evening match, the setting for King's Cup Dubai at Al Nasr

Last updated: 14 November 2026

King’s Cup Dubai 2026 lands on Saturday 28 November at Al Nasr Club’s Al Maktoum Stadium in Oud Metha, and the headline name is Ronaldinho. Xavi, Eden Hazard, David Villa, Marcelo and a squad’s worth of other legends are on the bill too.

It’s an exhibition, so nobody is going to put in a tackle that ends a career. That’s exactly the point. You’re paying to watch Ronaldinho try the nutmeg he’s been doing for 25 years, and Xavi still refusing to give the ball away.

King’s Cup Dubai 2026 at a glance

Date: Saturday 28 November 2026
Venue: Al Maktoum Stadium, Al Nasr Club, Oud Metha, Dubai (capacity about 15,000)
Format: exhibition tournament with eight international teams
Headliners: Ronaldinho, Xavi, Eden Hazard, David Villa, Marcelo
Tickets: through the official King’s Cup channels; the 2024 edition ran from AED 100 (USD 27) to AED 500 (USD 136)
Getting there: Green Line Metro to Oud Metha, or a taxi to the Al Nasr Club gates

What is the King’s Cup?

The King’s Cup is a franchise-style football tournament that mixes retired international stars with celebrity owners, influencers and a charity angle. Its organisers pitch it as live-action fantasy football: teams were built at a player auction held in Dubai in June, and the day plays out as a mini tournament rather than a single friendly.

Dubai has hosted it before. Earlier editions brought John Terry, Paul Scholes, Roberto Carlos, David Silva and Franck Ribéry to the city, and the 2024 match at the same stadium played to a crowd of around 12,000. Organisers say 2026 is the biggest edition yet, with celebrity “King’s Guards” joining the squads on the day.

Who is playing at King’s Cup Dubai 2026?

These are the legends confirmed so far:

Ronaldinho (Brazil), 2002 World Cup winner and Ballon d’Or winner
Xavi (Spain), 2010 World Cup winner and Barcelona’s midfield metronome
Eden Hazard (Belgium), ex-Chelsea and Real Madrid
David Villa (Spain), the country’s record goalscorer when he retired from international football
Marcelo (Brazil), five-time Champions League winner with Real Madrid
Jordi Alba (Spain)
Nani (Portugal)
Fernando Morientes (Spain)
Gonzalo Higuaín (Argentina)
Javier Saviola (Argentina)
Juan Sebastián Verón (Argentina)
Moustapha Hadji (Morocco), star of the 1998 World Cup squad

Count the Spaniards and you’ve got a good chunk of the 2010 World Cup squad. Add the Argentines and Brazilians and it starts to look like a mid-2000s Champions League final.

The eight teams

Red Rock Royals (Dubai)
BW Saints (India)
Odisha Kings FC (India)
Clear Water Knights (USA)
Betlife Angels (Slovakia)
AIG Fab Stars (United Kingdom)
KheloYar Giants (United Kingdom)
Ignite Emperors (South Africa)

The Red Rock Royals are the home side, so expect the loudest section of the stadium to be behind them. Which legend plays for which team hasn’t been published yet, and that’s the one detail worth checking before you book.

Where is King’s Cup Dubai 2026?

The tournament is at Al Maktoum Stadium, home of Al Nasr Club, in Oud Metha. It’s one of the oldest football grounds in the city and one of the easiest to reach: it sits between Bur Dubai, Karama and Dubai Healthcare City, so much of the city is a short taxi ride away.

Metro: Green Line to Oud Metha, then a short walk or taxi to the club
Taxi: ask for Al Nasr Club, Oud Metha; drop-offs get crowded once the gates open
Parking: limited around the club on match days, so the Metro is the smarter call

Wow-Emirates Expert Tip: 28 November is a busy Saturday in Dubai. The Emirates Dubai 7s runs at The Sevens Stadium the same weekend, from 27 to 29 November, so ride-hailing prices spike in the evening. Take the Metro in and book your ride home before the last match ends, not after.

King’s Cup Dubai 2026 tickets

Tickets are sold through the official King’s Cup channels, so start at kingscup.soccer or the @kingscup_soccer Instagram account. Ticket tiers and 2026 prices hadn’t been published in full at the time of writing. For reference, the 2024 edition at the same stadium ran from AED 100 (USD 27) to AED 500 (USD 136), with hospitality packages above that.

Buy only from the official link or a ticketing platform it points you to. Star-name exhibition matches attract fake resale listings, and a screenshot of someone else’s QR code won’t get you through the gate.

Wow-Emirates Expert Tip: Big-name players in exhibition tournaments rarely play every match. If there’s one legend you’re going for, check the published schedule for when his team plays before you plan your arrival time, rather than turning up for kick-off and sitting through games you don’t care about.

Make a weekend of it

King’s Cup lands on one of the busiest weekends of the year. The Dubai Fitness Challenge is in its final days, so the city’s run and ride events are still on (see our Dubai Fitness Challenge guide), and the UAE National Day long weekend follows a few days later, with hotel deals and fireworks lined up in our National Day offers round-up.

If football isn’t enough for one day, Global Village Season 31 stays open until 1am on Saturdays. For everything else happening that weekend, check our events and offers in Dubai this week.

King’s Cup Dubai 2026 FAQs

When is King’s Cup Dubai 2026?

Saturday 28 November 2026.

Where is King’s Cup Dubai 2026 being held?

At Al Maktoum Stadium, the home ground of Al Nasr Club in Oud Metha, Dubai.

Is Ronaldinho playing in Dubai?

Yes. Ronaldinho is the headline name for King’s Cup Dubai 2026, alongside Xavi, Eden Hazard, David Villa, Marcelo, Jordi Alba, Nani, Fernando Morientes, Gonzalo Higuaín, Javier Saviola, Juan Sebastián Verón and Moustapha Hadji.

How much are King’s Cup Dubai tickets?

Full 2026 prices hadn’t been published at the time of writing. The 2024 edition ranged from AED 100 (USD 27) to AED 500 (USD 136). Book only through the official King’s Cup channels.