Settled
CABSAT 2026 and SATExpo open in Dubai with 450 exhibitors and 700 brands
In short
CABSAT 2026 and SATExpo 2026 opened on Monday, October 5, at the Dubai Exhibition Centre in Expo City Dubai and run until October 7. WAM said Buti Saeed Al Ghandi, Vice Chairman of Dubai World Trade Centre, inaugurated the 33rd edition of CABSAT alongside the second edition of SATExpo. Organisers expect more than 18,800 visitors and 450 exhibiting companies at CABSAT, while WAM reported SATExpo will feature more than 150 exhibitors from over 70 countries.
Why it matters
The two events bring media, broadcasting, satellite and space technology companies from more than 120 countries to Dubai, which the official UAE news agency framed as reinforcing the emirate’s role as a gateway to Middle East, Africa and South Asia markets. The exhibition is presented as a venue for co-production, financing and commercial partnerships rather than for product sales.
Key facts
- CABSAT 2026, the 33rd edition, and SATExpo 2026, the second edition, opened on Monday, October 5, at the Dubai Exhibition Centre in Expo City Dubai and run until October 7. [ 1 , 2 ]
- Buti Saeed Al Ghandi, Vice Chairman of Dubai World Trade Centre, inaugurated both events, according to WAM. [ 2 ]
- CABSAT is expected to draw more than 18,800 visitors, 450 exhibiting companies and 700 brands from over 120 countries, with more than 150 speakers delivering over 50 hours of content. [ 1 , 2 ]
- SATExpo will feature more than 150 exhibitors from over 70 countries and more than 80 expert speakers, WAM reported. [ 2 ]
- CABSAT is held in strategic partnership with Dubai Studio City, and the UAE Space Agency is the strategic partner for SATExpo, according to WAM. [ 2 ]
- The one-day ContentVerse Director’s Cut programme opened on October 5, covering content strategy, monetisation, artificial intelligence and changing audience behaviour, Emirates 24|7 reported. [ 1 , 2 ]
- Emirates 24|7 named participating companies including Grass Valley, Ross Video, Evertz, Imagine Communications, Hivision, LiveU, TVU, Nagravision, KVEST and FaceLink. [ 1 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- CABSAT 2026 and SATExpo 2026 opened on October 5 at the Dubai Exhibition Centre in Expo City Dubai and run until October 7. [ 1 , 2 ]
- CABSAT is in its 33rd edition. [ 1 , 2 ]
- CABSAT organisers expect more than 18,800 visitors, 450 exhibiting companies and 700 brands from over 120 countries, plus more than 150 speakers and over 50 hours of content. [ 1 , 2 ]
- SATExpo is in its second edition and is held at the same venue alongside CABSAT. [ 2 ]
- Buti Saeed Al Ghandi, Vice Chairman of Dubai World Trade Centre, inaugurated the events. [ 2 ]
Still unclear
- Whether the expected visitor and exhibitor totals were met. Both outlets cite organiser expectations rather than reported attendance, and the events run until October 7.
- SATExpo’s exhibitor and speaker figures. The numbers — more than 150 exhibitors from over 70 countries and more than 80 speakers — appear only in the official WAM report.
- The scale of any deals or agreements signed at the events. Neither document reports transactions or signed agreements; the Co-Production Salon is described only as a meeting and financing platform.
What local media are saying
Business mediaEmirates 24|7 framed the twin events as showcasing technologies transforming media, broadcasting, satellite and communications, listing exhibiting companies by name and detailing the ContentVerse Director’s Cut session and its speakers, the Co-Production Salon and facility tours.
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Official sourcesWAM, the state news agency, led on the inauguration by Dubai World Trade Centre’s vice chairman, gave SATExpo exhibitor and speaker figures alongside CABSAT’s totals, named the strategic partners for each event and quoted an organiser on the convergence of media, satellite and space technology.
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Timeline, local time
- Emirates 24|7 reports that CABSAT 2026 and SATExpo 2026 opened at the Dubai Exhibition Centre in Expo City Dubai, with more than 450 exhibitors, 700 brands from over 120 countries and an expected 18,800 visitors. [ 1 ]
- WAM reports that Buti Saeed Al Ghandi, Vice Chairman of Dubai World Trade Centre, inaugurated the 33rd CABSAT and second SATExpo, and gives SATExpo’s exhibitor and speaker figures. [ 2 ]