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Sharjah Animation & Comics Conference 2026 In UAE, Postponed

The fourth Sharjah Animation And Comics Conference 2026 in the UAE, has been postponed as a result of the Iran War

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Article Summary

  • Sharjah Animation & Comics Conference 2026 has been postponed due to impacts from the ongoing Iran War.
  • Event was set for March 26-29 at Expo Centre Sharjah, aiming to be the conference’s largest edition yet.
  • Organizers confirm the conference is delayed, not cancelled; passes are expected to remain valid for new dates.
  • The UAE has seen major disruptions from the Iran conflict, affecting travel, safety, and large-scale events.

The Sharjah Animation and Comics Conference 2026, the fourth such annual event and the first to explicitly include Comics in the name, was planned to take place in the UAE later this month, at the Expo Centre Sharjah, part of the Dubai-Sharjah-Ajman metropolitan area.  It has now been postponed, believed to be as a direct result of the Iran War.

Planned for the 26th to the 29th of March, the organisers have officially announced a postponement, stating, "Sharjah Animation & Comics Conference is being postponed, and we will be sharing the new dates with you soon. Until then, keep creating, keep imagining, and keep making this community as amazing as it is. Stay tuned for updates."

The official website has not yet been updated and continues to promote the March dates, along with calls to "book your pass." SACC had been gearing up to be its biggest and most ambitious edition yet, expanding into a venue three times larger than previous years, with a four-day programme promising over thirty panels and talks, twenty-five artist-led workshops as well as live concerts, film screenings, and immersive activations. Confirmed speakers and guests included animation creators such as Sandro Cleuzo, Disney veterans Tom Bancroft and Tony Bancroft, Studio Ghibli's Masayuki Miyaji, Nobuyoshi Habara, Webtoon cartoonists Eumin Joo and Park Chang-Ha and programming executives from Warner Bros Discovery and CoMix Wave Films. Organised under the umbrella of the Sharjah Book Authority, the conference had positioned itself as the UAE's answer to major international gatherings. Organisers have emphasised that the event is delayed, not cancelled, and that passes already purchased are expected to remain valid for the rescheduled dates, though full refund or transfer policies have not yet been detailed. Well, there is a war on.

The Iran War began two weeks ago with US-Israeli strikes on Iran, which singled out the UAE more than any other country in its retaliation, firing over 1,700 missiles and drones at it in the first two weeks, according to UAE defence statements, and debris, direct drone strikes, and shrapnel have caused damage, casualties, and disruption in the UAE. Dubai International Airport and Sharjah International Airport have seen flights being cancelled or rerouted, operating at reduced capacity, and many wealthy residents and families have been leaving the country.

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Rich JohnstonAbout Rich Johnston

Founder of Bleeding Cool. The longest-serving digital news reporter in the world, since 1992. Author of comic books The Flying Friar, Holed Up, The Avengefuls, Doctor Who: Room With A Deja Vu, The Many Murders Of Miss Cranbourne and Chase Variant. Lives in South-West London, works from The Union Club on Greek Street, shops at Gosh, Piranha and Forbidden Planet. Father of two daughters, Amazon associate, political cartoonist.
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