UAE residents could get 4 day holiday for Eid Al Fitr 2026/Representative Image
As Ramadan begins in the UAE, attention is already turning to Eid Al Fitr, with a possible four-day public holiday in March depending on the sighting of the Shawwal crescent.
Fasting begins, countdown to Eid starts
Fasting commenced across the UAE on February 18, marking the start of Ramadan 2026.
The holy month will run for either 29 or 30 days, depending on the lunar cycle.While residents settle into adjusted working hours and quieter evenings, the calendar is already in focus. The key date is March 18, the 29th day of Ramadan, when official moon-sighting committees will convene to determine whether Shawwal has begun.That decision will shape the length of the Eid Al Fitr holiday.
What the official calendar says
Under the UAE’s official public holiday calendar, Eid Al Fitr is observed from Shawwal 1 to 3.
The holiday is non-transferable and applies nationwide.In 2026, Eid is expected to fall between Friday, March 20 and Sunday, March 22. However, the precise start date depends entirely on whether the Shawwal crescent is sighted on March 18.Dubai’s Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities Department has listed March 20 to March 22 as the expected Eid period for 2026, subject to confirmation.
Three days or four?
If the crescent is sighted on March 18, Eid Al Fitr will be declared the following day, March 19.
In that case, residents would receive a four-day break from March 19 to March 22, with Sunday aligning with the usual weekend in the Emirates.If the moon is not sighted on March 18, Ramadan will complete 30 days and Eid will begin on Friday, March 20. That scenario would result in a three-day break.However, a UAE Cabinet resolution provides that if Ramadan completes 30 days, the 30th day of Ramadan will be treated as an official holiday added to the Eid Al Fitr holiday.
This effectively secures a long weekend at the end of the month regardless of whether Ramadan lasts 29 or 30 days.
Why the dates move each year
The Hijri calendar is approximately 11 days shorter than the Gregorian calendar. As a result, Islamic months shift earlier each year in relation to the solar calendar.In 2026, that shift places Eid Al Fitr in the third week of March. For now, the focus remains on March 18, when the sighting of a slender crescent will determine how long the UAE pauses at the close of Ramadan.
