Top security events in the Gulf in 2026–27

This list covers nine security events in the Gulf that atndr lists for the 2026–27 season, from 19 October 2026 to 6 May 2027. It spans four kinds of security: physical security and fire safety, policing and homeland security, defence, and cybersecurity. The entries run in date order, not by rank, because they serve different buyers. A police procurement officer and a security operations centre lead will not want the same show.

Each event made the list for three reasons. It is on atndr as a live listing. Its official site confirms the 2026–27 dates and venue. And security is its main subject, which rules out general technology shows such as GITEX Global 2026, even though it has a cybersecurity stage.

One major event is missing. The Global Cybersecurity Forum in Riyadh is not on atndr. Its 2025 annual meeting ran on 1–2 October 2025, and its official events page still listed no 2026 date when this guide was re-checked on 13 October 2026.

Every entry was re-checked against atndr's catalogue and the organizers' sites on 13 October 2026.

1. OFSEC 2026

19–20 October 2026 · Muscat · Oman Convention & Exhibition Centre

OFSEC is Oman's fire, safety and security expo and summit, now in its 10th edition and run by Muscat Expo. It links fire, safety and security practitioners with suppliers, distributors and manufacturers, and its conference sessions carry CPD credits.

Best for: suppliers entering the Omani market, and safety and security managers at Omani ports, oil and gas firms and public bodies.

2. Milipol Qatar 2026

20–22 October 2026 · Doha · Doha Exhibition & Convention Center (DECC)

Milipol Qatar is the homeland security and safety exhibition held every two years in Doha, under the patronage of the Amir of Qatar. The organizer expects 250+ exhibitors and 14,000+ visitors in 2026, against 255 exhibitors and 14,500 trade visitors in 2024. Its sectors run from border control and civil defence to counter-terrorism and cybercrime. Trade visitors request a free pass online. The Doha International Conference on AI Security 2026 runs on the same dates at the DECC.

Best for: police, civil defence and interior ministry buyers, and the companies that sell to them.

3. 7th Gulf Cyber Security Challenges Conference & Exhibition

2–5 November 2026 · Kuwait City · Jumeirah Messilah Beach Hotel & Spa

Kuwait's cybersecurity conference and exhibition for government and private-sector security leaders. Workshops run on 2–3 November and the conference and exhibition on 4–5 November. It is smaller than the flagship shows, but it is the Kuwaiti event on this list.

Best for: security leaders and vendors working with Kuwaiti and GCC government bodies.

4. Intersec Saudi Arabia 2026

16–18 November 2026 · Riyadh · Riyadh Front Exhibition & Conference Center

Intersec Saudi Arabia is the kingdom's trade show for security, safety and fire protection, run by Messe Frankfurt Middle East under the patronage of Saudi Arabia's Minister of Interior. The organizer expects more than 500 exhibitors from over 40 countries and more than 25,000 professionals. Its five sectors include Homeland Security & Policing and Cybersecurity. It is trade-only, for professionals aged 18 and over.

Best for: government buyers, integrators, contractors and facility managers sourcing for Saudi projects.

5. World Police Summit 2026

16–18 November 2026 · Dubai · Dubai World Trade Centre

The World Police Summit is hosted by Dubai Police. Police leaders, policymakers and technology suppliers meet over three days. The organizer reports close to 53,000 visits from more than 110 countries at the May 2025 edition, with more than 300 speakers and 170+ exhibitors.

Best for: police and public-safety officials, and companies that sell to them. It clashes with Intersec Saudi Arabia, so choose one.

6. Black Hat MEA 2026

1–3 December 2026 · Riyadh · Riyadh Exhibition & Convention Centre (Malham)

Black Hat MEA is a cybersecurity conference and exhibition. The organizer cites 40,000+ in attendance. The programme includes an Executive Summit, Briefings, Arsenal tool demos, Capture the Flag and paid Trainings. The Expo pass is free and covers the exhibition, Briefings and Arsenal. Early-bird pricing has ended, and the ticket page lists Gold at US$349–399 and Black, which adds one training course, at US$2,499–3,099.

Best for: CISOs, security operations teams, penetration testers, cybersecurity vendors and investors.

7. Intersec Global 2027

12–14 January 2027 · Dubai · Dubai World Trade Centre

Intersec Global is Messe Frankfurt's flagship security, safety and fire protection show. The organizer promises more than 1,000 exhibitors across five domains, from National Security & Law Enforcement to Cybersecurity & Resilience. Its conferences include a Cybersecurity Conference and a Control Room Innovation Conference. It is trade-only, for professionals aged 18 and over.

Best for: the widest cross-section of the security trade: buyers, distributors, integrators and consultants.

8. IDEX & NAVDEX 2027

25–29 January 2027 · Abu Dhabi · ADNEC Centre Abu Dhabi

IDEX is an international defence exhibition, and NAVDEX is the naval defence and maritime security show beside it. The 2027 event is organized by ADNEC Group with the UAE Ministry of Defence. IDEX's site reports 206,000 visitors, 1,565 brands and exhibitors and 65 countries at the 2025 edition.

Best for: armed forces, defence procurement officials, OEMs and defence contractors.

9. GISEC Global 2027

4–6 May 2027 · Dubai · Dubai Exhibition Centre, Expo City Dubai

GISEC Global is a cybersecurity exhibition and conference that the organizer calls the largest in the Middle East and Africa. It cites 750+ cyber brands and infosec leaders from 180+ countries. Features include a CISO programme, the Dubai Cyber Challenge and SANS certified trainings. The visitor pass is free, and an All-Access pass is paid.

Best for: CISOs, government cyber teams and vendors who want a large cyber-only show floor.

Four of the nine are in the UAE, two in Saudi Arabia and one each in Qatar, Kuwait and Oman. Bahrain's security listing on atndr this season is the IISS Manama Dialogue 2026 (30 October–1 November 2026, Manama). It is a defence and diplomacy summit for ministers and military chiefs, not a trade event, so it is not ranked here.

Saudi Arabia and the UAE also have smaller specialist events:

• Saudi Arabia: SADEX 2026 (9–11 November 2026, RICEC, Riyadh) for drones and uncrewed systems, OTSEC MENA 2026 (18 November 2026, Al Khobar) for operational technology security, and the invite-only Security Middle East Conference 2026 (29 November) and Fire Middle East Conference 2026 (30 November) in Riyadh.
• UAE: CYSEC UAE 2026 (22 October 2026, Abu Dhabi), a one-day cyber summit, and IECM 2027 (4–6 May 2027, Dubai World Trade Centre) for emergency and disaster management, in the same week as GISEC Global.

Elsewhere, one-day cyber summits include Cyber First Qatar 2026, Cyber First Kuwait 2026 and CYSEC Oman 2026.

Start with the kind of security you buy or sell. The events barely overlap in audience.

• Cybersecurity teams and vendors: Black Hat MEA 2026 in December or GISEC Global 2027 in May. They are five months apart, so many vendors do both. 7th Gulf Cyber Security Challenges Conference & Exhibition covers Kuwait.
• Physical security, fire and safety: Intersec Global 2027 for the widest regional marketplace, Intersec Saudi Arabia 2026 for Saudi projects and OFSEC 2026 for Oman.
• Policing and homeland security: World Police Summit 2026 in Dubai or Milipol Qatar 2026 in Doha.
• Defence and maritime security: IDEX & NAVDEX 2027.

Two clashes are worth planning around. OFSEC 2026 and Milipol Qatar 2026 overlap on 20 October 2026. Intersec Saudi Arabia 2026 and World Police Summit 2026 both run on 16–18 November 2026, in different countries.

For how Riyadh's and Dubai's venues work, see Business events in Riyadh and Business events in Dubai.

Register online before you travel. Three models apply on this list.

1. Trade-only exhibitions. Intersec Saudi Arabia 2026, Intersec Global 2027 and Milipol Qatar 2026 admit industry professionals who register as trade visitors. Intersec sets an age limit of 18. Expect the organizer to check your company and role.
2. Free expo pass, paid conference tiers. Black Hat MEA 2026 and GISEC Global 2027 both offer a free exhibition pass, with paid passes for summits, meetings and trainings.
3. Delegate and official registration. World Police Summit 2026 and IDEX & NAVDEX 2027 register delegates, visitors, exhibitors and media separately. Much of their audience comes as official delegations.

Published prices change as each show approaches, so check each event's ticket page, linked from its atndr listing.