Sobha City Abu Dhabi Construction Commences – Q2 2026 Enabling Works Begin
Construction Underway on Sobha Realty's 7,000-Unit Abu Dhabi Development
Construction on Sobha City Abu Dhabi is scheduled to start in second quarter of 2026, with the first phase, representing one-third of the residential units, targeted for completion by the fourth quarter of 2029. The project marks Sobha Realty's first master-planned community in the UAE capital, and the beginning of enabling works in Q2 2026 represents a tangible acceleration toward delivery.
Project Scale and Composition
The 38 million sq ft, $10.8-billion (AED 40 billion) Sobha City will feature around 7,000 residential units, including 4,000 apartments and 3,000 villas, delivered across multiple phases. Phase 1 offers approximately 400 units — apartments from AED 1.31 million, garden villas from AED 4.96 million, and estate villas from AED 9.05 million, with a 60/40 payment plan during construction and handover scheduled for Q4 2029.
Location and Connectivity
Positioned along the E10 and E12 highway corridors in the western Abu Dhabi residential belt, the E10 and E12 access points connect residents to central Abu Dhabi, Saadiyat Island, Al Reem Island, and the Dubai–Abu Dhabi highway. Its prime positioning near Zayed International Airport, Yas Island, and the upcoming Disney Abu Dhabi project makes it one of the most connected master communities in the capital.
Design and Amenities
Designed with nature at its core, 60% of the masterplan is dedicated to open and green spaces, with more than 50,000 trees, forest-inspired landscapes, and shaded walkways shaping a seamless sense of quiet continuity. A two-kilometre waterfront promenade and integrated marina destination brings together leisure, retail, and social spaces. Schools, healthcare facilities, mosques, and an executive Par-3 golf course, masterfully designed by Greg Norman Golf Course Design, are all thoughtfully embedded within the masterplan, ensuring essential elements of daily life remain within easy reach.
Sobha Realty's Track Record
The company's expansion momentum has continued into 2026 with the launch of Sobha Sanctuary in Dubai and Sobha City in Abu Dhabi, bringing Sobha Realty's total UAE master developments to 16. "We are fundamentally a build-to-sell company, focused on designing and delivering products that meet customer expectations," said Francis Alfred, Managing Director of Sobha Realty. "Regardless of market fluctuations, we remain committed to maintaining our track record of early project delivery through our backward integration model."
Sobha Realty is a UAE-based luxury developer with over 50 years of operational history. Their backward-integrated construction model — managing design, engineering, manufacturing, and construction in-house rather than through third-party contractors — is the defining feature of their brand positioning.
Abu Dhabi Market Context
Total residential sales in Abu Dhabi reached Dh73.2 billion in 2025, driven by strong investor interest and robust buyer demand. Total residential transactions reached 22,400, a 55% increase from 2024, with off-plan projects accounting for 71% of deals. Abu Dhabi is expected to deliver approximately 15,900 new residential units in 2026, reflecting steady and controlled market growth.
Francis Alfred, managing director of Sobha Realty, said the UAE capital faces a shortage of residential units due to its growing population, and this project will help meet demand. In Abu Dhabi, the buyer mix has reversed from Dubai, with the developer seeing growing interest from the US, Canada, and key European markets.
Financial Position
The developer remains financially resilient despite regional volatility, supported by strong sales backlog and land bank. "We've got almost three years' revenue backlog because we had extraordinary sales in the last three to four years," Alfred said, and the company has sufficient land bank for approximately four-and-a-half years of future development.