DATE

November 10-11, 2026

INDUSTRY

Content

LOCATION

Dubai, United Arab Emirates

VENUE

Madinat Jumeirah – Arena

WEBSITE

Event Overview

  • Event Name

  • Event Dates

  • Venue

  • Organizer

  • Event Character

  • Dubai International Content Market (DICM 2026)

  • November 10-11, 2026

  • Madinat Jumeirah Conference & Events Centre, Dubai, UAE

  • INDEX Conferences & Exhibitions Org. (a member of INDEX Holding)

  • MENA’s largest entertainment content B2B market event

Event & Market Highlights

MEA’s Largest Content B2B Market

The premier annual gathering of content and entertainment professionals across MENA. Buyers, sellers, producers, broadcasters, OTT platforms, and investors conduct intensive business over two focused days.

Explosive Growth of the MENA Media Market

Middle East M&E market: USD 44.2B (2025) → USD 76.8B by 2031 (CAGR 9.66%). MENA online video: USD 1.5B (2025) → USD 8.4B by 2029 (5x growth). SVOD subscriptions to exceed 27M in 2025. K-content demand surging.

Content Business Hub — Precision B2B Matching

A dedicated matchmaking tool for registered buyers and sellers. Search participants by company activity type, content genre, and format, then schedule pre-arranged 1-on-1 meetings. 2,000+ meetings in 2025 alone.

DICM Talks — Industry Insight Panel

Keynotes and panel discussions by 30+ global speakers over two days. Topics span Ramadan content strategy, short-form storytelling, the globalization of Arabic cinema, sports ROI, and female leadership in MENA content.

Exclusive Screenings & Content Showcase

Exclusive premiere screenings by global content companies (Globo, Linmon International, UnicoPlay, etc.). Buyers view the latest drama formats and documentaries on-site and can negotiate rights deals in real time.

Dubai — Global Content & Creative Hub

UAE is the fastest-growing media market in the Middle East (CAGR 11.08%). Ramadan TV consumption spikes from 3.5 to 5 hours/day. Arabic original content demand is at an all-time high. Dubai attracts both regional and global creative talent.

Key Highlights

  • 2,000+ business meetings — all-time record, doubling the previous year’s pre-scheduled sessions
  • South Korea Pavilion (KOCCA + JCIA) — Korea Creative Content Agency participated as Buyers’ Lounge Sponsor. Strong demand for K-drama, animation, and short-form content from MENA buyers
  • Qatar Media Corporation discovered new animation content and co-production opportunities — a concrete commercial success story from the Content Business Hub
  • 3 National Pavilions — Türkiye (Istanbul Chamber of Commerce), South Korea (KOCCA & JCIA), Russia (Roskino)
  • Inaugural Spotlight Stories Pitching Challenge — 100+ projects submitted. 1st: Reborn (Diana Arab), 2nd: Landwards (Rama Ayasra), 3rd: The Dream (Michel Chamaa). Winners received direct access to producers and platforms
  • New markets surging — significant rise from CIS, Africa, Southeast Asia, and the Gulf (especially Saudi Arabia & Kuwait). Latin America entering for the first time
  • Content trends — Arabic drama & Ramadan series strongest. Docuseries, animation, and factual entertainment growing fast. Short-form storytelling and micro-drama emerging rapidly
  • Exclusive screenings — Globo, Linmon International, UnicoPlay premiered latest international formats and dramas to MENA buyers

2025 Event Results

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Participants
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Exhibiting Companies
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Buyer
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Business Meeting

2025 Event Highlights

Business Hub Features by Exhibition Segment

Exhibition

Main showcase space for global content and media companies. 60+ “Plug-n-Work” options available — flexible for startups to major broadcasters. All content formats represented.

Content formats: TV drama & series / Film / Animation & kids / Documentary & factual / Format & remakes / Short-form & micro-drama / Digital, mobile & social / Gaming & interactive / Music & performing arts / Comics & webtoon

Content Business Hub

A precision B2B matchmaking platform exclusive to registered DICM buyers and sellers. Search participants by company type, content genre, and format, then schedule pre-arranged 1-on-1 meetings.

2025 result: 2,000+ meetings (2x previous year). Hundreds of pre-arranged sessions in the Buyers’ Lounge. Al Jadeed TV: “DICM continues to create meaningful connections and opportunities every year.”

DICM Talks

Two-day industry knowledge platform with 30+ global speakers in keynotes and panel discussions. Explores the latest trends and business strategies shaping the global content landscape.

2025 sessions: Sports ROI 8-Step Framework (Parrot Analytics) / Ramadan & Beyond: Year-Round Content Formula / Inside the Mind of a Commissioner (MBC) / Stories in Seconds: Micro-Drama & Social / Bridging Worlds: MENA Goes Global / Why Global Markets Should Pay Attention to Arabic Cinema / Women Shaping the Future of MENA Content

Exclusive Screenings

Exclusive premiere screenings of the latest content lineups from global production and distribution companies. Buyers view actual content and can negotiate rights deals on-site.

2025 participants: Globo (Brazil), Linmon International, UnicoPlay. Connects international formats and dramas directly with MENA buyers. A key channel for sealing content sales and distribution deals.

Producers Connect Hub

A dedicated initiative for international co-production. A space for global and MENA producers to exchange creative ideas, find co-production partners, and explore financing opportunities.

2026 plans: Further strengthen Producers Connect Hub. Expand dedicated formats connecting storytellers directly with investors and platforms. Upgrade to an AI-driven meeting platform for more precise matching.

Spotlight Stories — Pitching Challenge

First launched in 2025. Emerging MENA creators pitch original projects to industry leaders in a live competition. Planned to expand in scale and reach for 2026.

2025: 100+ projects submitted. Jury: Madonna Khafaja, Ali Ghamlouch, Michel Zreik, Badih Fattouh. Winners receive DICM Spotlight Stories Award + direct connection with producers and platforms. 2026 edition set to be bigger and broader.

Country Pavilions

Official national pavilions from the world’s leading content-producing nations. South Korea participates jointly through KOCCA and JCIA. In 2025, KOCCA also served as the Buyers’ Lounge Sponsor.

2025 pavilions: 🇰🇷 South Korea (KOCCA + JCIA) · 🇹🇷 Türkiye (Istanbul Chamber of Commerce) · 🇷🇺 Russia (Roskino). Strong MENA buyer demand for K-drama, animation, and webtoon content confirmed.

Year-Round Webinars & E-Ramadan

DICM operates beyond the annual event as a year-round platform, delivering ongoing content trend insights through webinars and the E-Ramadan Content Market.

E-Ramadan Content Market: An online marketplace timed to the Ramadan season, when TV viewing spikes from 3.5 to 5 hours/day. A dedicated platform for trading content targeting the region’s most intensive viewing period.

CONTENT BUSINESS HUB

A B2B matching platform exclusively for registered buyers and sellers. Search for participating companies by content genre and format, and take advantage of networking opportunities during the event through pre-arranged business matchmaking.

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