Primark to expand Mall of the Emirates store in November with Alshaya

Primark is preparing to open first-floor space at its Mall of the Emirates store in November 2026 as part of its regional expansion with Alshaya Group. The move follows the partnership’s opening of three stores in Dubai during the brand’s first year in the Middle East. For the UAE franchise community, this is news of an existing store’s expansion, rather than the announcement of a new location.

Additional space at Mall of the Emirates

According to a statement published by Al Bawaba on 29 October 2026, the next phase of Primark’s expansion across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries includes opening first-floor space at its Mall of the Emirates store in November. The announcement puts Dubai among the partnership’s near-term milestones, alongside plans to open stores in other Gulf markets during 2027.

The key distinction is the nature of the move: it involves opening space within the Mall of the Emirates store, not a fourth store in Dubai. The statement says the partnership has opened three stores in the city since entering the region, then lists the first-floor space among its forthcoming plans. The announcement should therefore be understood as an expansion within an existing location, keeping the store count separate from additional space opening inside those stores.

The statement did not specify the size of the first-floor space, an exact opening date in November or the investment involved. The information disclosed is limited to the location, floor and target month, with no further details on product ranges or operating arrangements for the new space.

Three Dubai stores in the first year in the region

The announcement marked one year since Primark opened its first Middle East store at The Avenues in Kuwait on 23 October 2025. Since then, the partnership with Alshaya has expanded to three stores in Dubai, entered Bahrain and opened its first store in Qatar during the week before the statement was published.

This sequence puts the Mall of the Emirates news in context: the Dubai expansion does not mark Primark’s arrival in the UAE, but a further stage in a retail presence already established through three stores. The partnership’s first regional anniversary also provides a clear point at which to distinguish completed openings from those still on the schedule.

The statement did not include sales figures, visitor numbers or the Dubai stores’ share of Primark’s regional business. The store count therefore indicates the scale of its announced presence, but is not enough on its own to assess financial performance. The additional space at Mall of the Emirates is the specific local development to watch in November.

A Gulf opening schedule extending into 2027

Alongside the Mall of the Emirates expansion, Primark announced plans to open a second Kuwait store, at Aventura Mall, early in the year following the statement’s publication — 2027. It also set March 2027 as the target for its first store in Saudi Arabia, as the partnership continues to expand across the GCC.

The plans also include a second store in both Qatar and Bahrain during 2027. According to the statement, the opening at Doha Festival City marked Primark’s entry into its 21st international market. These openings provide regional context for the Dubai development, but differ in nature: some involve entering a new market, while others add a store in an existing one.

These dates should be treated as announced plans, not completed openings. The statement distinguishes between stores that have begun trading since October 2025 and locations or additional spaces due to open later. For the UAE, the specific next step remains the opening of first-floor space at Mall of the Emirates in November 2026.

What the news means for the UAE franchise community

Primark is pursuing this expansion with Alshaya Group, described in the statement as an international franchise operator with around 90 global brands in its portfolio. That makes the news directly relevant to the UAE franchise community, as the partnership delivers local openings and a continuing programme of regional expansion.

The announcement does not offer new franchise opportunities to individual investors in the UAE, nor does it set out application terms for operating Primark stores. Its significance lies in documenting the progress of an existing partnership and its next step in Dubai, rather than signalling a new investment opportunity open to the public.

Practical takeaway: When tracking brand expansion, distinguish between a new store and additional space within an existing store, and between completed openings and future plans. For Primark, the next announced UAE milestone is the opening of first-floor space at its Mall of the Emirates store in November.