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Abu Dhabi MEFCC 2026 draws 46,000 attendees with Dh60,000 cosplay prize
The 14th edition ran 11 to 13 September at ADNEC Centre with celebrity guests, anime programming and trading card tournaments.
Middle East Film & Comic Con returned to ADNEC Centre Abu Dhabi from 11 to 13 September 2026 for its 14th edition. The three-day event drew more than 46,000 attendees, according to Gulf News, with programming spanning celebrity appearances, anime showcases, gaming tournaments and a cosplay competition carrying a Dh60,000 prize pool. One-day tickets started at Dh160, with three-day passes priced from Dh390. Children aged six and under entered free, while tickets for those aged seven to eleven cost Dh50.
Celebrity guest line-up and meet sessions#
The Meet the Stars programme featured appearances by John Cena, Mackenyu, Joonas Suotamo, Arden Cho, Pom Klementieff, Jacob Romero Gibson and Charithra Chandran across the weekend. VIP ticket holders received Meet the Stars vouchers with their passes, while general admission attendees could purchase vouchers on the day at the Meet the Stars Zone, with sales opening one hour before each session where availability permitted. Mackenyu, cast as Roronoa Zoro in the Netflix live-action adaptation of One Piece, held autograph and photograph sessions across both weekend days, with separate pricing at the venue. Panels, community talks and interactive question-and-answer sessions ran throughout the weekend.
Cosplay competition and trading card tournaments#
The MEFCC Cosplay Competition offered a Dh60,000 prize pool, with the winning UAE team securing a place at the World Cosplay Summit 2027 Finals in Nagoya, Japan. Cosplay Central hosted meet-ups with international cosplayers Aokiji and Marmalade, alongside the Cosplay Catwalk open to all attendees. The TCG Arena held competitive play in Pokémon, One Piece and Magic: The Gathering across the three days, with 300 player spots available and introductory sessions for those new to the games. The format accommodated both casual and competitive players.
Anime zone and retail exhibitors#
Crunchyroll sponsored the anime and Asian pop culture hub, which presented live performances, J-pop and J-rock cover acts, Random Play Dance sessions, karaoke, choreography workshops, fandom quiz events and Janken battle competitions. An Asian snack stop operated within the zone. Local and international retailers brought exclusive and limited-edition figures, comic books, Funko Pops, trading cards, apparel and collectibles to the show floor. The Little Things showcased a 49th Anniversary exclusive One Piece Going Merry six-pack collector bundle, numbered and limited to 500 sets worldwide, alongside event-exclusive metallic Banpresto figures featuring Naruto and Luffy. Food vendors included Mattar Farm, SALT, Wing Stop, Moshi and House of Pops.
Sources2 sources across 2 domains
- gulfnews.comGulf News46,000 attendees, dates, ticket prices, guest list, cosplay prize pool, TCG Arena details, Crunchyroll sponsorship, food vendors
- travelandtourworld.comTravel and Tour WorldThe Little Things exclusive One Piece collector bundle limited to 500 sets, metallic Banpresto figures, Bburago Lamborghini display
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