Sobha City Abu Dhabi: 3,000 Villas at Al Bahiya
Updated 13 August 2026 · By the Cresco local market team
On 14 April 2026 Sobha Realty announced Sobha City at Al Bahiya, its first ever Abu Dhabi project. 38 million square feet, a par three golf course designed by Greg Norman Golf Course Design, a 2 km waterfront promenade and a marina district. Sobha has briefed around 7,000 units including roughly 3,000 villas, at a stated AED 40 billion. Phase one handover is indicated for Q4 2029.
What was announced
| Item | Position |
|---|---|
| Announcement | 14 April 2026 |
| Significance | Sobha Realty's first project in Abu Dhabi |
| Total masterplan | 38 million square feet |
| Phase one | Around 8 million square feet |
| Product | Waterfront apartments, villas and mansions |
| Open and green space | 60% of the masterplan, with more than 50,000 trees |
| Golf | Par three course by Greg Norman Golf Course Design |
| Waterfront | 2 km promenade and a marina district |
| Wellness | 18 km loop |
| Starting price | Not published |
| Payment plan | Not published |
Why this one is worth watching
Three reasons.
It is 3,000 villas. That is a very large villa pipeline from a single developer, and Abu Dhabi's supply has historically been apartment heavy. If the indicative split holds, Sobha City alone materially changes the villa supply picture at Al Bahiya.
Sobha's buyer base already trusts the product. Sobha built its UAE reputation on build quality and backward integration at Sobha Hartland in Dubai. Buyers who know that name will look at Abu Dhabi on the strength of it, which is a real advantage over a developer entering cold.
The golf course has a name attached. Greg Norman Golf Course Design is a specific, checkable commitment rather than a generic rendering. On masterplans this early, named partners are one of the few things you can hold a developer to.
What to be careful about
- No prices, no payment plans, no confirmed unit count. Everything commercial about Sobha City is still unpublished.
- Q4 2029 is phase one only. A 38 million square foot masterplan will take well over a decade. Early buyers live on a construction site for years.
- It is Sobha's first Abu Dhabi project. Their Dubai delivery record is good but it is a different regulator, different contractors and a different market. That is not a reason to avoid it. It is a reason to ask questions.
- Al Bahiya is not central Abu Dhabi. Check the commute to wherever you actually need to be, on the day and at the hour you would travel.
Sobha City Abu Dhabi questions, answered
What is Sobha City Abu Dhabi?
A 38 million square foot waterfront masterplan by Sobha Realty at Al Bahiya, announced on 14 April 2026. It is Sobha's first Abu Dhabi project and will include waterfront apartments, villas and mansions, a par three golf course by Greg Norman Golf Course Design, a 2 km promenade and a marina district.
How many villas will Sobha City have?
Sobha has briefed around 7,000 units in total, split roughly 4,000 apartments and 3,000 villas, at a stated AED 40 billion. That split came from a media briefing rather than the formal announcement, so treat it as indicative until Sobha publishes it formally.
How much does Sobha City cost?
No prices or payment plans have been published as at 13 August 2026.
When is handover at Sobha City?
Phase one handover has been indicated for Q4 2029. The full 38 million square foot masterplan will take considerably longer.
Where is Sobha City Abu Dhabi?
At Al Bahiya in Abu Dhabi. Phase one covers around 8 million square feet of the 38 million square foot total.
Interested in Sobha City? Nothing is priced yet, so the useful thing right now is to be on the list before the first release rather than chasing it afterwards. Tell us apartment or villa and we will keep you in front of it.
Looking for the full list? Browse every property Cresco has for sale in the UAE, all 712 listings indexed by emirate and community.