Global Village Invites F&B Businesses to Register for Season 31 in Dubai
By Thasmiya
Food entrepreneurs, restaurant operators and emerging F&B brands have a new opportunity to bring their concepts to one of Dubai’s busiest seasonal attractions, as **Global Village opens business registrations for Season 31**.
The upcoming season is scheduled to run from **October 2026 to May 2027**, and Global Village’s business portal is accepting expressions of interest across categories including restaurants, coffee shops, kiosks and other food-focused concepts.
## **Season 31 is coming in October 2026**
Global Village has officially confirmed that **Season 31 will begin in October 2026 and continue until May 2027**. Exact opening and closing dates have not yet been published on its main website.
Ahead of the opening, the destination is preparing its next line-up of businesses, attractions and dining concepts.
For F&B operators, that means applications can be made well before the gates reopen, giving successful businesses time to prepare their concept, staffing, menu and operations.
## **What kind of F&B businesses can apply?**
Global Village’s current business portal lists several leasing opportunities relevant to the food and beverage industry, including:
- Restaurants - Coffee shops and cafés - Food kiosks - Street-food concepts - Speciality food concepts - Other innovative food and beverage ideas
The wider programme also accepts applications across retail, pavilions, entertainment, guest services and other commercial categories.
This means the opportunity is not necessarily limited to established restaurant chains. Independent operators and entrepreneurs with a strong concept can also register their interest.
## **Why Global Village can be a major opportunity for smaller F&B brands**
One of Global Village’s biggest attractions for entrepreneurs is the ability to test a food concept in front of a large and highly diverse audience without necessarily committing immediately to a permanent standalone restaurant.
Global Village itself describes the destination as a relatively low-risk environment for businesses to pilot new concepts and says partners across its business categories have achieved strong returns.
For a new food business, a season at Global Village can potentially provide:
- Large-scale brand exposure - Direct customer feedback - Opportunities to test new menu items - Social-media visibility - Access to tourists and UAE residents - A way to validate a concept before permanent expansion
The seasonal nature of Global Village also makes it particularly interesting for brands experimenting with their first physical location.
## **More than 200 dining options**
Food has become a major part of the Global Village experience.
Its current dining information highlights **more than 200 restaurants, cafés, street-food kiosks and speciality concepts**, ranging from established restaurants to smaller businesses built around one signature item.
The destination has developed dedicated food areas and experiences including **Fiesta Street, Floating Market, Indian Chaat Bazaar, Happiness Street, Arabian Square, Asia Boulevard and Dessert District**.
For Season 30, the refreshed Fiesta Street alone featured 37 kiosks, while double-decker kiosks were also introduced as part of the dining experience.
## **Global Village has previously actively recruited food entrepreneurs**
The push to attract independent culinary businesses is not new.
Ahead of Season 30, Global Village specifically invited **culinary entrepreneurs and F&B business owners** to apply for its kiosks and trolleys category.
At the time, Global Village said it would provide infrastructure and business support, including customisable kiosk setups and assistance with staff visas. It also highlighted that the preceding Season 29 had welcomed **10.5 million guests** and featured more than 250 dining options.
Season 31 applicants should note, however, that the precise packages, costs and support arrangements offered for the new season may differ. Businesses should rely on their Season 31 proposal and agreement rather than assuming previous-season conditions automatically apply.
## **Who should consider applying?**
The opportunity could be particularly relevant for:
**Existing UAE restaurants** looking to reach a much larger audience.
**Homegrown food brands** ready to move from online sales, delivery or pop-ups into a major physical destination.
**International concepts** looking to test demand in Dubai.
**Dessert and beverage brands** with visually distinctive or highly shareable products.
**Street-food operators** specialising in a particular cuisine or signature dish.
**First-time entrepreneurs** with a strong concept and realistic operational plan.
However, having a good recipe alone is unlikely to be enough. Businesses need to consider whether their concept can operate efficiently during busy periods and maintain consistent quality at high volumes.
## **What concepts could stand out?**
Global Village is already extremely competitive when it comes to food.
A concept therefore needs a clear reason for customers to choose it.
That could come from an unusual cuisine, a signature product, theatrical preparation, strong presentation, an interesting cultural story or a food item that is difficult to find elsewhere in Dubai.
Social-media appeal can also be valuable. Global Village food trends frequently spread through short-form videos, meaning visually memorable dishes can gain attention beyond customers physically walking past the outlet.
But operators should avoid building a business entirely around novelty. A product still needs to taste good, be reasonably quick to prepare and work commercially at scale.
## **How to register for Global Village Season 31**
Businesses can submit an **Expression of Interest** through Global Village’s official business portal.
Global Village Season 31 business registration
The current application form asks applicants to provide basic contact details before selecting an investment category and participation type.
Depending on the category selected, additional information about the company or proposed concept may be required.
Registration represents an expression of interest rather than automatic approval of a business location.
## **Company or individual applications are possible**
An important feature of the current registration form is that applicants can indicate whether they are participating as a **company or individual**.
For company applications, the portal requests information including the full company name as shown on the trade licence and company contact details.
Other information requested varies depending on the investment category.
Entrepreneurs should therefore prepare a clear description of what they want to operate before beginning the application.
## **What should F&B applicants prepare?**
Even where every item is not explicitly required at the first registration stage, operators will benefit from preparing a strong business proposal.
Useful material could include:
- Brand and concept overview - Proposed menu - Signature products - Product photographs or visual mock-ups - Expected selling prices - Required kiosk or restaurant size - Kitchen and equipment requirements - Staffing requirements - Previous F&B experience - Existing trade licence information, where applicable - Social-media pages and existing audience - Operational and food-safety plan
A strong visual presentation may be particularly useful for a concept that does not yet have an established physical outlet.
## **What does it cost to open at Global Village?**
Global Village’s public Season 31 registration page does not currently publish one universal price for opening an F&B business.
Costs can vary significantly depending on factors such as the participation category, outlet format, location, infrastructure requirements and commercial agreement.
Businesses should therefore avoid relying on unofficial online figures or prices quoted for previous seasons.
The actual investment requirements should be confirmed directly with Global Village after the application progresses.
## **Support for participating businesses**
Global Village says its **Partner Happiness Centre** assists partners throughout their journey, with support ranging from employee visas to brand marketing.
The level and type of assistance applicable to an individual Season 31 operator will depend on their category and agreement.
For entrepreneurs unfamiliar with running a seasonal outlet, this supporting infrastructure can be an important part of the proposition.
## **Why F&B businesses may want to apply early**
Operating at Global Village requires considerably more preparation than simply setting up a temporary food stall.
Businesses may need time for:
- Concept approval - Licensing - Fit-out - Equipment procurement - Menu development - Supplier agreements - Staffing and visas - Training - Food-safety requirements - Branding and signage - Stock planning
Submitting an expression of interest early can therefore provide more preparation time if the concept progresses through the selection process.
## **Season 31 could be a testing ground for the next Dubai food trend**
Global Village has become an important platform for discovering unusual food concepts.
Its mix of international visitors, UAE residents and social-media-driven food discovery creates an environment where a small kiosk can potentially gain significant visibility.
That does not guarantee commercial success. Competition is intense, operating periods can be demanding and entrepreneurs need to carefully calculate staffing, ingredient, leasing and operating costs.
But for a distinctive concept that can handle volume, the exposure can be difficult to replicate through a conventional standalone launch.
## **Why this matters**
For UAE F&B entrepreneurs, Global Village Season 31 represents more than another place to rent a kiosk.
It can provide an opportunity to test a concept in one of Dubai’s most recognisable destinations, reach a multicultural customer base and potentially build brand recognition before expanding elsewhere.
Global Village’s business platform specifically positions itself as a place where entrepreneurs can pilot concepts with relatively limited commitment compared with some permanent formats.
With Season 31 scheduled to begin in October 2026, businesses interested in participating can already start the registration process.
## **FAQs**
### **When is Global Village Season 31?**
Global Village’s official website currently lists Season 31 as running from **October 2026 to May 2027**. Exact opening and closing dates are still to be announced.
### **Can restaurants apply for Season 31?**
Yes. Global Village’s business platform lists restaurants, coffee shops, kiosks and other leasing opportunities.
### **Can a small food business apply?**
The registration system accommodates both company and individual participation, depending on the selected category. Applications remain subject to Global Village’s assessment and approval process.
### **Where can businesses register?**
Businesses can submit an expression of interest through the official Global Village Business portal.
Register interest for Global Village Season 31
### **How much does a Global Village food kiosk cost?**
A single standard Season 31 price is not currently published on the public registration page. Costs may depend on the concept, category, space and commercial terms.
### **How many food outlets does Global Village have?**
Global Village’s dining page currently describes the destination as having **more than 200 restaurants, cafés, street-food kiosks and speciality concepts**.
### **Does registering guarantee a space?**
No. Submitting an expression of interest begins the process; it should not be treated as confirmation that a restaurant, kiosk or other location has been allocated.
## **Source Credits**
Information source and resource owners: Global Village and Global Village Business.
Image sources are combined from AI-generated visuals and other platforms. If any owner wants to be mentioned or any content needs to be changed, please email us at **concerns@whatmatters.ae**.