Nad Al Sheba: the area, the buildings and what homes sell for

What is Nad Al Sheba

Nad Al Sheba is a locality of Dubai south of Dubai Creek with four official communities and several gated villa projects, and it is best known for its racecourse.

Wikipedia describes Nad Al Sheba as a Dubai locality south of Dubai Creek. Wikipedia also says that the area is best known for its racecourse. Today the area holds villa communities, a sports complex, malls and a school.

Master developers

We did not find one master developer for the whole of Nad Al Sheba. Different developers built different parts of it. The two largest residential projects in our sources are Nad Al Sheba Villas and Nad Al Sheba Gardens.

• Nakheel: Nakheel built Nad Al Sheba Villas. Nakheel's brochure describes it as a gated community of 2.5 million square feet. Nakheel says it has four- and five-bedroom villas.
• Meraas: Dubai Holding says that Meraas develops the gated community Nad Al Sheba Gardens. Dubai Holding says that Meraas is a member of Dubai Holding Real Estate.
• Shamal: RLI reported in about May 2026 that Shamal owns Nad Al Sheba Gardens and that Meraas develops it. We could not confirm this. The Shamal ownership may refer only to the community mall.

Nad Al Sheba Villas (Nakheel)

Middle East Construction News reported in about 2019 that Nakheel's gated community contains 1,572 villas. The report says the villas have Mediterranean and Moroccan styles. Nakheel offered 100 of the villas at launch, according to the same report.

Nakheel said on 9 February 2021 that Nad Al Sheba Villas has more than 1,570 ready-to-occupy homes. Nakheel also said that the community has a retail and leisure Pavilion. Wikipedia says Nakheel built more than 1,500 four- and five-bedroom villas in Mediterranean and Moroccan styles.

Nad Al Sheba Gardens (Meraas)

Time Out Dubai describes Nad Al Sheba Gardens as a residential area of 1.5 million square metres. Time Out says it has villas and townhouses with three to seven bedrooms.

Sources disagree on the size of the Gardens. Time Out gives about 1.5 million square metres. A broker marketing site gives a master plan of 13 million square feet, which is about 1.2 million square metres. Neither figure is an official Meraas figure.

Sources also disagree on the number of phases. Construction Week Online reported in about December 2025 that Meraas called Phase 11 the final cluster. The broker site says there are 12 phases and 1,817 homes. We could not confirm which count is correct.

The official communities

The Dubai Statistics Center lists four communities in its 2024 population bulletin. The numbers are 615 to 618. The names are Nadd Al Shiba First, Second, Third and Fourth.

Sources disagree on the number of sub-areas. Wikipedia lists five sub-communities: Nad Al Sheba 1, 2, 3, 4 and Sobha City. The Dubai Statistics Center bulletin lists only the four numbered communities.

• Nad Al Sheba 1: Wikipedia places the racecourse here.
• Nad Al Sheba 2: Wikipedia places the stables that bred Dubai Millennium and Essence of Dubai here.
• Nad Al Sheba 3: Edarabia says that Kings' School Nad Al Sheba is here.
• Nad Al Sheba 4: RTA built a service road to this community, as Gulf Today reported on 25 December 2021.
• Sobha City: Only Wikipedia lists this name as a sub-community. We could not confirm it as an official community.

Sources disagree on where the old racecourse site sits. The Wikipedia article on Nad Al Sheba places it in Nad Al Sheba 1. The Wikipedia article on Za'abeel says Za'abeel 2 contains the Nad Al Sheba Racecourse. That claim concerns the old racecourse, which was demolished in 2009.

Size of the area

The Wikipedia infobox gives an area of 60.1455 square kilometres. We could not confirm this figure. It looks large for the four built-up communities. We did not find a Dubai Statistics Center figure to check it.

Freehold status

Sources disagree on freehold status. The list below explains each position.

• Truhauz, a brokerage, says Nad al-Sheba appears in the original schedule of freehold areas under Dubai Regulation No. 3 of 2006.
• Truhauz says the regulation gives freehold only for the land plots on the Dubai Land Department maps that come with it.
• Truhauz says Article 4 of the regulation excludes Land Plot 224 in Nad al-Sheba. That plot is limited to usufruct or a 99-year lease.
• Nakheel's brochure says Nad Al Sheba Villas were sold only to UAE and GCC nationals.
• Middle East Construction News reported that Nakheel offered the villas to UAE and other GCC nationals with special payment plans.
• District Real Estate, a brokerage, said in June 2026 that Nad Al Sheba is freehold and open to all nationalities.
• AKT Real Estate, a brokerage, places Nad Al Sheba Gardens among the freehold launches in Meydan. We did not find an official Meraas or Dubai Land Department statement on this.

Buyers should check the title deed and the plot status with the Dubai Land Department. Status can differ from plot to plot.

Sources: Wikipedia, Nad Al Sheba, accessed Oct 2026; Dubai Statistics Center, Population Bulletin Emirate of Dubai 2024, 2025; Middle East Construction News, Nakheel launches its ready-to-occupy Nad Al Sheba villas, c. 2019; Nakheel, Nad Al Sheba Villas press release, 9 Feb 2021; Nakheel, Nad Al Sheba Villas brochure, undated; Dubai Holding, Meraas awards contract for new phase of Nad Al Sheba Gardens, May 2025; Time Out Dubai, NAS Gardens Community Mall to open in August, c. May 2026; Tohid Fetrat, Nad Al Sheba Gardens by Meraas, c. Apr 2026; Construction Week Online, Meraas unveils new chapter of Nad Al Sheba Gardens, c. Dec 2025; RLI, New Mall to Open in Dubai in August, c. May 2026; Truhauz, Freehold Areas in Dubai, c. Sep 2026; District Real Estate, Nad Al Sheba Dubai Property Guide 2026, Jun 2026; AKT Real Estate, Freehold Areas in Dubai, c. Jul 2026; Wikipedia, Za'abeel, Dubai, accessed Oct 2026; Edarabia, Kings School Nad Al Sheba, c. Sep 2026; Gulf Today, RTA opens part of Dubai-Al Ain Road widening project, 25 Dec 2021; WhichSchoolAdvisor, The Complete List of KHDA Ratings for Dubai Private Schools 2026, c. Jun 2026

Where you can live in Nad Al Sheba: the residential projects

Homes in Nad Al Sheba are in 2 residential areas: Nad Al Sheba 1, Other buildings.

Map of the Nad Al Sheba projects

Nad Al Sheba 1

43 residential buildings: 28 apartments, 15 villas and townhouses. 14 completed, 26 off-plan. 2,026 sales in 12 months. Main developers: Binghatti Developers Fze, Soboh Real Estate Development, Abou Eid Real Estate Development.

And 6 more projects or buildings: see the map.

Other buildings

2 residential buildings: 2 apartments. 2 completed, 0 off-plan. 5 sales in 12 months.

Source: Dubai Land Department sale records and our building list, 15 October 2026. A project is a group of buildings with one name; a building with no group is listed on its own. Per sq ft is the median of apartment sales in 12 months.

Nad Al Sheba property prices and sales

Apartments in Nad Al Sheba sold for a median of AED 3,485 per sq ft in the 12 months to 10 October 2026, across 1,987 apartment sales.

Where Nad Al Sheba ranks in Dubai

Rank among 66 Dubai communities with 300 or more sales in 12 months. See what the sales records say.

Nad Al Sheba apartment price per sq ft, by quarter

The median price of an apartment sold in Nad Al Sheba was AED 3,321 per sq ft in 2026 Q3. The highest quarter in the last three years was 2026 Q1, at AED 3,538. A median moves when the mix of homes sold changes.

What the sale records show now

• Sales rose. Nad Al Sheba had 826 sales in the last 6 months, against 324 in the same months a year before (+155%).
• New buildings keep launching. 10 buildings had their first sale in the last 12 months, with 1,922 sales between them.
• Most sales are off-plan. 96% of sales in 12 months were of homes not yet finished.
• Rental yield. Asking rents against sold prices give a gross yield of 5.3%.
• Homes due. Land Department projects in Nad Al Sheba due by June 2027 hold 1,425 homes.

Nad Al Sheba price per sq ft by district

The 10 Nad Al Sheba buildings with the most sales in 12 months

Source: Dubai Land Department sale records and project register, as built into BUY DUBAI on 15 October 2026. Price per sq ft is a median of apartment sales. Yield is asking rent against sold price. Dates are registration dates.

Where is Nad Al Sheba in Dubai

Nad Al Sheba is south of Dubai Creek, between Downtown Dubai and the Mohammed Bin Rashid City corridor, next to Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road.

Wikipedia places Nad Al Sheba south of Dubai Creek. District Real Estate, a brokerage, said in June 2026 that the area sits between Downtown and the Mohammed Bin Rashid City corridor.

Position of the main projects

• Nad Al Sheba Villas: Nakheel's brochure says the community is next to Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road.
• Nad Al Sheba Gardens: Arabian Business reported in about May 2026 that Meraas places the Gardens about 10 km from Burj Khalifa. Meraas also places it 1 km from Mohammed Bin Rashid City.

Dubai Holding said in May 2025 that the Gardens give access to Business Bay, Burj Khalifa and the Meydan racetrack. Dubai Holding did not give drive times in that statement.

Distance to the city centre

Sources disagree on the time to the centre of Dubai. The National reported on 24 September 2026 that the district is about 10 minutes from Downtown Dubai. District Real Estate says it is about 15 to 20 minutes from central Dubai. The two sources probably use different start points.

The National also said that the district has strong links to Meydan Racetrack and Dubai International Airport. The National did not give a drive time to the airport in the notes we used.

Neighbours

• Meydan: Dubai Holding says Meydan is next to Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum City. The Gardens give access to the Meydan racetrack, according to Dubai Holding.
• Mohammed Bin Rashid City: Meraas says the Gardens are 1 km from it.
• Nad Al Hammar: Wikipedia says Nad Al Hammar is bounded by E311 (Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road) and E44 (Ras Al Khor Road).
• Ras Al Khor: The Ramsar Sites Information Service says the Ras Al Khor Wildlife Sanctuary lies at the end of the 14 km Dubai Creek. The sanctuary is north of the Nad Al Sheba area.
• Za'abeel: Wikipedia's Za'abeel article places the old Nad Al Sheba Racecourse in Za'abeel 2. This suggests that Za'abeel is close by. We could not confirm the exact boundary.

Time Out Dubai reported in about July 2026 on a new RTA road corridor. Time Out said it is meant to serve Nad Al Sheba, Al Barari, Dubai Hills, District One, MBR Gardens, Living Legends, Majan and Global Village. This list shows the group of communities that RTA plans around Nad Al Sheba.

Location on the road network

Nad Al Sheba sits beside several main roads. Nakheel names Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road. Gulf Today names Dubai-Al Ain Road and Al Meydan Road. Gulf News names Al Meydan Street and Al Khail Road as parallel corridors. The next section gives details.

Sources: Wikipedia, Nad Al Sheba, accessed Oct 2026; Nakheel, Nad Al Sheba Villas brochure, undated; Arabian Business, New mall set to open in Dubai in August 2026, c. May 2026; The National, Seven-bedroom villas to be built in Dubai's Nad Al Sheba, 24 Sep 2026; Dubai Holding, Meraas awards contract for new phase of Nad Al Sheba Gardens, May 2025; Dubai Holding Communities, Meydan, undated; Time Out Dubai, RTA announces new Dhs2 billion road project, c. Jul 2026; Wikipedia, Nad Al Hammar, accessed Oct 2026; Ramsar Sites Information Service, Ras Al Khor Wildlife Sanctuary, designated 2007; District Real Estate, Nad Al Sheba Dubai Property Guide 2026, Jun 2026; Wikipedia, Za'abeel, Dubai, accessed Oct 2026; Gulf Today, RTA opens part of Dubai-Al Ain Road widening project, 25 Dec 2021; Gulf News, Dubai RTA to Build New Dh1.16b Highway, c. 30 Aug 2026

Nad Al Sheba roads, traffic, parking and transport

Most residents of Nad Al Sheba travel by car on Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road, Dubai-Al Ain Road and Al Meydan Street, because no Metro station serves the area today.

Main roads

• Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road (E311): Nakheel says Nad Al Sheba Villas is next to this road.
• Dubai-Al Ain Road: RTA widened part of this road in 2021, with new service roads to Nad Al Sheba 1, 2, 3 and 4.
• Al Meydan Road and Al Meydan Street: RTA has upgraded this route in stages since 2021.
• Al Khail Road: RTA completed an improvement project on this road in 2024.
• Ras Al Khor Road (E44): Wikipedia says this road bounds neighbouring Nad Al Hammar.

Dubai-Al Ain Road works (2021)

Gulf Today reported on 25 December 2021 that RTA opened an 8 km sector of the Dubai-Al Ain Road improvement. The sector runs from Bu Kadra Junction to the junction with Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road.

RTA widened that sector from three to six lanes towards Al Ain, according to Gulf Today. The works included two underpasses to Al Meydan Road. They also included service roads to Nad Al Sheba 1, 2, 3 and 4. RTA also built the new Nad Al Sheba Bridge.

Gulf Today said that drivers from Dubai to Nad Al Sheba 2 had to use the service road at Exit 6 on Oud Metha Street. This was part of a December 2021 traffic notice. We could not confirm that this arrangement is still in use.

Al Khail Road works (2024)

RTA says it awarded the Al Khail Road Improvement Project at a value of AED 700 million. The project covers seven locations on Al Khail Road. These include Zabeel, Meydan, Al Quoz 1, Ghadeer Al Tair and Jumeirah Village Circle.

RTA said the project adds about 19,600 vehicles per hour of capacity. RTA also said it cuts travel times by 30%. Gulf Business reported in about October 2024 that RTA completed the works in nine months instead of 18 months.

Al Meydan Street works (2025)

The Dubai Media Office reported on 1 July 2025 that RTA widened the Sheikh Zayed Road exit to Al Meydan Street. The exit went from one lane to two lanes.

RTA says the capacity of the bridge rose by more than 33%. It went from 4,500 to 6,000 vehicles per hour, according to RTA.

Al Meydan Street Development Project (awarded 2026)

Gulf News reported in about August 2026 that RTA awarded two contracts worth Dh1.161 billion for Al Meydan Street. The project includes a 700-metre elevated link on Dubai-Al Ain Road. Gulf News said this link will improve access to Nad Al Sheba.

TradeArabia said that the elevated link heads towards Nad Al Hamar Street. TradeArabia said it serves the residential areas of Nad Al Sheba.

RTA says Al Meydan Street will raise north-south capacity by 18%. RTA describes it as a parallel corridor to Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road and Al Khail Road, according to Gulf News.

Sources disagree on the scale of the corridor. SaudiGulf Projects says the corridor will serve communities with more than 500,000 people. Time Out Dubai cites about 650,000 residents and visitors. Time Out gives a cost of "Dhs2 billion", while Gulf News gives Dh1.161 billion. The reports probably describe different scopes. One may cover Al Meydan Street alone. The other may cover a wider corridor that includes Latifa bint Hamdan Street. We could not confirm this.

Metro

We could not confirm a Metro station inside Nad Al Sheba. The RTA route list for the Blue Line does not pass through the area.

RTA says the first branch of the Blue Line runs from Creek in Al Jaddaf to International City. It goes through Dubai Festival City, Dubai Creek Harbour and Ras Al Khor. Wikipedia says the Ras Al Khor station serves the Ras Al Khor Industrial Area and the wildlife sanctuary.

RTA's award announcement targets Blue Line operations from September 2029. Sources disagree on the Blue Line cost. Wikipedia gives AED 18 billion, announced on 24 November 2023. Gulf Prime Magazine gives more than AED 20.5 billion.

Gulf Prime Magazine reported in about September 2026 that the Gold Line was approved in April 2026. It said the line is planned for 2032. It also said the Blue and Gold lines will bring the Metro closer to areas that include Meydan. We could not confirm where a Gold Line stop would be relative to the Nad Al Sheba communities.

Buses

The journey planner Rome2rio shows several bus routes to the area. We could not confirm these routes on the RTA site. Check the RTA journey planner before you travel.

• Route 50: From near Business Bay Metro to a Nad Al Shiba stop called "Intersection 1-1".
• Route 30: From Dubai Mall Metro to Nad Al Shiba, ENBD HQ.
• Route 66: From Oud Metha Metro to Nad Al Shiba, ENBD HQ.
• Route X23: From Oud Metha to Ras Al Khor Terminus.

Rome2rio's figures for route 50 do not agree with each other. One figure says a bus every 30 minutes and a trip of about 11 minutes. The itinerary on the same page says 40 minutes.

Drive times

Rome2rio gives modelled drive times to Nad Al Sheba Racecourse. These times do not measure trips to the residential communities. They do not include peak traffic.

• From Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall Metro: about 6 miles, about 11 minutes by taxi.
• From BurJuman Metro: about 8 miles, about 13 minutes.
• From Al Rigga Metro: about 8.4 miles, about 13 minutes.
• From Centrepoint Metro: about 10.4 miles, about 18 minutes.

The National says the district is about 10 minutes from Downtown Dubai. District Real Estate says 15 to 20 minutes from central Dubai.

Parking

We could not confirm public parking rules, paid parking zones or parking numbers for Nad Al Sheba. Our sources describe the main projects as villa communities. Nakheel and Dubai Holding describe them as gated.

Sources: Nakheel, Nad Al Sheba Villas brochure, undated; Gulf Today, RTA opens part of Dubai-Al Ain Road widening project, 25 Dec 2021; RTA, Al Khail Road improvement project, c. Feb 2024; Gulf Business, Al Khail Road Development project completed, c. Oct 2024; Dubai Media Office, RTA enhances traffic flow via Al Meydan Street, 1 Jul 2025; RTA, Project impact details: Al Meydan Street upgrades, 2025; Gulf News, Dubai RTA to Build New Dh1.16b Highway, c. 30 Aug 2026; TradeArabia, RTA awards $316m contracts for Al Meydan Street, c. 30 Aug 2026; SaudiGulf Projects, Dubai RTA awards $316 million contracts for Al Meydan Street, Aug 2026; Time Out Dubai, RTA announces new Dhs2 billion road project, c. Jul 2026; RTA, About Dubai Metro, c. 2021; Wikipedia, Blue Line (Dubai Metro), accessed Oct 2026; RTA, Awarding of Dubai Metro Blue Line project, c. Dec 2024; Gulf Prime Magazine, Dubai Metro Expansion: 29 New Station Locations Planned, c. Sep 2026; Wikipedia, Dubai Metro, accessed Oct 2026; Rome2rio, Business Bay Metro to Nad Al Sheba, undated; Rome2rio, Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall Metro to Nad Al Sheba Racecourse, undated; Rome2rio, Al Rigga Metro to Nad Al Sheba Racecourse, undated; Rome2rio, Union to Nad Al Sheba, undated; Rome2rio, BurJuman Metro to Nad Al Sheba Racecourse, undated; Rome2rio, Centrepoint Metro to Nad Al Sheba Racecourse, undated; The National, Seven-bedroom villas to be built in Dubai's Nad Al Sheba, 24 Sep 2026; District Real Estate, Nad Al Sheba Dubai Property Guide 2026, Jun 2026

Living in Nad Al Sheba

Nad Al Sheba has community malls with supermarkets, private clinics, a public sports complex, a cycle park and jogging tracks, but we could not confirm the names of its mosques from our sources.

Shops and malls

The area has several retail centres. Sources sometimes give them similar names. The list below separates them.

• Nad Al Sheba Pavilion: Nakheel opened it at Nad Al Sheba Villas. Nakheel said on 18 July 2021 that it covers more than 36,426 square feet.
• Nad Al Sheba Mall: A separate mall with its own website.
• Avenue Mall: A mall in Nad Al Sheba with clinics, according to PRIME Health and Avenue Mall.
• The Grand (NAS Gardens Community Mall): A community mall in Nad Al Sheba Gardens. Phased openings were due to start on 19 August 2026.

Nad Al Sheba Pavilion

Nakheel says the first tenants of the Pavilion opened on 15 July 2021. They included Spinneys, Starbucks and Bedashing Beauty. Nakheel also said a swimming pool and a gym would join the Pavilion. These sit next to the community's five-kilometre jogging and cycling track.

Nad Al Sheba Mall

The official website of Nad Al Sheba Mall lists McDonald's, Medcare Medical Centre and Spinneys Supermarket among its tenants. The site also promotes gyms, swimming and padel.

Sources disagree on the size of the mall. FSK, a contractor, describes it as 46,450 square metres. Middle East Construction News reported in about 2019 that Nakheel said the mall would be 111,483 square metres. The 2019 statement also said it would have more than 200 shops and food outlets. The larger figure may be a plot or gross figure. We could not confirm this. We also could not confirm the official opening date of the mall.

The Grand at Nad Al Sheba Gardens

Arabian Business reported in about August 2026 that Shamal Holding would start phased openings at The Grand on 19 August 2026. Time Out Dubai reported on 29 July 2026 that the opening date was Wednesday 19 August.

Arabian Business said Waitrose and Partners anchors the first phase. It is the first Waitrose supermarket in Nad Al Sheba, according to the report. Other tenants for the first stage include MMI, Heart Cottage Lane, Maple Bear Nursery, Al Jaber Optical and Fixperts.

Time Out said that the NAS Gardens Community Mall is not the same as Nad Al Sheba Mall. "The Grand" and "NAS Gardens Community Mall" appear to be the same project. We found only reports from before the opening. We could not confirm that The Grand opened on 19 August 2026.

Clinics

• PRIME Medical Center: PRIME Health runs a multi-specialty medical centre inside Avenue Mall in Nad Al Sheba.
• American Hospital Nad Al Sheba Clinic: American Hospital Dubai runs a clinic at Avenue Mall. Avenue Mall lists hours of 9 AM to 9 PM on the ground floor. The clinic page lists ultrasound, X-ray and blood tests.
• Medcare Medical Centre: Nad Al Sheba Mall lists it as a tenant.

Some guides mention a government "Nad Al Sheba Health Center". We could not confirm this.

Parks, tracks and sport

Dubai Musts, a local guide, says Nad Al Sheba Cycle Park was once a camel track. The guide says it now has loops of 4 km, 6 km and 8 km. The guide says it is open 24 hours.

Dubai.ae names the Nad Al Sheba Sports Complex among Dubai's public sports complexes. Dar Al-Handasah says RTA commissioned it to design and supervise a sports complex in the area. Dar Al-Handasah lists two football fields, a diving pool, a spa health club and a mosque. It gives the site area as 250,000 square metres.

Sotheby's Realty UAE lists a stadium with 5,840 seats at the sports complex. It also lists a health club, pools and recovery equipment. Sotheby's says the complex hosts a Ramadan sports tournament each year in eight categories.

Nakheel's brochure says Nad Al Sheba Villas has a 5-kilometre cycling and jogging track.

Dubai Holding said in May 2025 that phase four of Nad Al Sheba Gardens includes a large pool, a planned amphitheatre, running tracks and a yoga lawn. Gulf Construction Online reported that newer phases of the Gardens overlook a lagoon that people can swim in.

Mosques

Dar Al-Handasah lists a mosque in its design for the Nad Al Sheba sports complex. We could not confirm the names or locations of other mosques inside Nad Al Sheba 1 to 4. In nearby Meydan, Dubai Holding says District 11 is planned with a mosque.

Racing

Wikipedia says the area is best known for its racecourse. The National and Dubai Holding mention close links to the Meydan racetrack. The history section below gives more detail.

Sources: Nakheel, New Community Pavilion Opens at Nad Al Sheba Villas, 18 Jul 2021; Nad Al Sheba Mall, official site, undated; FSK, Nad Al Sheba Mall, c. Jan 2025; Middle East Construction News, Nakheel launches its ready-to-occupy Nad Al Sheba villas, c. 2019; PRIME Health, Prime Medical Center Nad Al Sheba, undated; Avenue Mall, American Hospital Nad Al Sheba Clinic, undated; American Hospital Dubai, Nad Al Sheba Clinic, undated; Arabian Business, Five new malls set to open across Dubai in 2026, c. 17 Aug 2026; Time Out Dubai, The Grand is opening next month, 29 Jul 2026; Time Out Dubai, NAS Gardens Community Mall to open in August, c. May 2026; Gulf Construction Online, Meraas unveils new residential units at Nad Al Sheba Gardens, c. 2025; Dubai Holding, Meraas awards contract for new phase of Nad Al Sheba Gardens, May 2025; Dubai Musts, Nad Al Sheba Cycle Park, c. Aug 2024; Dubai.ae, Sports and Culture, c. Aug 2025; Dar Al-Handasah, Ned Al Sheba Complex, undated; Sotheby's Realty UAE, The Best Sports Clubs in Dubai, c. May 2026; Nakheel, Nad Al Sheba Villas brochure, undated; Dubai Holding Communities, Meydan, undated; Wikipedia, Nad Al Sheba, accessed Oct 2026

Schools in and near Nad Al Sheba

The main KHDA-rated school in Nad Al Sheba is Kings' School Nad Al Sheba, which has a latest published KHDA rating of Very Good.

KHDA inspections are on pause

Khaleej Times reported in about November 2025 that KHDA would not resume full inspections in 2025-26. This was the second year in a row without new overall ratings. WhichSchoolAdvisor reported in about June 2026 that inspections will resume in 2026-27.

The ratings on this page are therefore the latest published ratings. Most of them date from 2023-24. They are not new 2026 results.

Kings' School Nad Al Sheba

• KHDA rating: WhichSchoolAdvisor lists the school as Very Good.
• Rating history: EdCare says the school has held a Very Good rating every year since 2018-19.
• Opening: Edarabia says the school opened in September 2014.
• Location: Edarabia places the school in Nad Al Sheba 3.
• Size: Sources disagree. Edarabia gives about 850 students. EdCare gives 1,105 students and 67 teachers.

We could not confirm the curriculum or the age range of the school from our sources.

Nurseries

Arabian Business reported in about August 2026 that Maple Bear Nursery is among the first tenants of The Grand at Nad Al Sheba Gardens. We could not confirm that the nursery is open now.

Schools near Nad Al Sheba

Dubai Holding says Meydan District 11 is planned with a nursery and schools. Dubai Holding does not name the schools on its Meydan page. We could not confirm their names, curricula or opening dates.

We could not confirm other KHDA-rated schools inside Nad Al Sheba 1 to 4 from our sources. Parents should check the KHDA school directory for the current list. They should also check how far each school is from their home.

Sources: Khaleej Times, Dubai schools' new KHDA ratings: what parents need to know, c. Nov 2025; WhichSchoolAdvisor, The Complete List of KHDA Ratings for Dubai Private Schools 2026, c. Jun 2026; Edarabia, Kings School Nad Al Sheba, c. Sep 2026; EdCare, Kings School Nad Al Sheba Dubai: KHDA Review, c. Apr 2026; Arabian Business, Five new malls set to open across Dubai in 2026, c. 17 Aug 2026; Dubai Holding Communities, Meydan, undated

Who lives in Nad Al Sheba

Nad Al Sheba is a villa area for families, and part of it, Nakheel's Nad Al Sheba Villas, was sold only to UAE and GCC nationals.

Population

The Wikipedia infobox gives a population of 680 in the year 2000. This figure is old. The area had few homes at that time.

The Dubai Statistics Center lists the four Nad Al Sheba communities in its 2024 population bulletin. We could not confirm a current population figure for these communities from our notes.

SaudiGulf Projects says the new Al Meydan Street corridor will serve communities with more than 500,000 people. Time Out Dubai cites about 650,000 residents and visitors for a related corridor. These figures cover many communities, not only Nad Al Sheba.

Nationality of owners

Nakheel's brochure says Nad Al Sheba Villas were sold only to UAE and GCC nationals. Middle East Construction News reported the same rule at the 2019 launch. This means that many villa owners in that community are Emirati or GCC citizens.

Brokerage guides say that other parts of the area are open to all nationalities. District Real Estate says this about Nad Al Sheba in general. AKT Real Estate lists Nad Al Sheba Gardens among freehold launches. We did not find an official statement on who can buy in the Gardens. We could not confirm the nationality mix of residents.

Household types

The homes in our sources are large. Nakheel built four- and five-bedroom villas. Time Out says the Gardens have villas and townhouses with three to seven bedrooms. The National reported on 24 September 2026 on plans for seven-bedroom villas.

Our sources do not describe any apartment blocks in Nad Al Sheba. We could not confirm whether there are apartments in the area.

The services in the area also point to families. Kings' School Nad Al Sheba has between about 850 and 1,105 students, according to Edarabia and EdCare. Maple Bear Nursery is a planned tenant at The Grand.

Sport and racing

Wikipedia says the stables that bred the racehorses Dubai Millennium and Essence of Dubai are in Nad Al Sheba 2. The area also holds a public sports complex and a cycle park. We could not confirm how many residents work in racing or sport.

Sources: Wikipedia, Nad Al Sheba, accessed Oct 2026; Dubai Statistics Center, Population Bulletin Emirate of Dubai 2024, 2025; SaudiGulf Projects, Dubai RTA awards $316 million contracts for Al Meydan Street, Aug 2026; Time Out Dubai, RTA announces new Dhs2 billion road project, c. Jul 2026; Nakheel, Nad Al Sheba Villas brochure, undated; Middle East Construction News, Nakheel launches its ready-to-occupy Nad Al Sheba villas, c. 2019; District Real Estate, Nad Al Sheba Dubai Property Guide 2026, Jun 2026; AKT Real Estate, Freehold Areas in Dubai, c. Jul 2026; Time Out Dubai, NAS Gardens Community Mall to open in August, c. May 2026; The National, Seven-bedroom villas to be built in Dubai's Nad Al Sheba, 24 Sep 2026; Edarabia, Kings School Nad Al Sheba, c. Sep 2026; EdCare, Kings School Nad Al Sheba Dubai: KHDA Review, c. Apr 2026; Arabian Business, Five new malls set to open across Dubai in 2026, c. 17 Aug 2026

Nad Al Sheba service charges and running costs

We could not confirm official RERA service charge figures for Nad Al Sheba, and we found no official statement on whether the area uses district cooling.

Service charges

We did not find a RERA or Dubai Land Department service charge index figure for Nad Al Sheba Villas or Nad Al Sheba Gardens. We do not give an estimate. Buyers should ask the seller or the owners' association for the current charge. They should also check the figure in the RERA service charge index.

What the charges pay for

Both main projects are gated communities, according to Nakheel and Dubai Holding. Gated communities usually share costs for common areas. The common facilities in our sources include the following:

• Nad Al Sheba Villas: A 5-kilometre jogging and cycling track, according to Nakheel's brochure. Nakheel also said in July 2021 that a pool and a gym would join the Pavilion.
• Nad Al Sheba Gardens: A pool, a planned amphitheatre, running tracks and a yoga lawn in phase four, according to Dubai Holding. Gulf Construction Online reported a lagoon in newer phases.

We could not confirm which of these facilities are paid for by service charges. We could not confirm whether any use needs an extra fee.

Cooling

We found no official statement on whether Nad Al Sheba homes use district cooling. We could not confirm this. A buyer should ask whether the villa has its own air-conditioning system or a district cooling contract. District cooling contracts can add fixed monthly charges.

Other running costs

We could not confirm utility, chiller or maintenance costs for Nad Al Sheba homes. The homes in our sources are large villas with three to seven bedrooms. Large homes usually cost more to cool and to maintain than small homes.

Sources: Nakheel, Nad Al Sheba Villas brochure, undated; Nakheel, New Community Pavilion Opens at Nad Al Sheba Villas, 18 Jul 2021; Dubai Holding, Meraas awards contract for new phase of Nad Al Sheba Gardens, May 2025; Gulf Construction Online, Meraas unveils new residential units at Nad Al Sheba Gardens, c. 2025; Time Out Dubai, NAS Gardens Community Mall to open in August, c. May 2026

New projects and what is coming to Nad Al Sheba

The main changes coming to Nad Al Sheba are the last phases of Nad Al Sheba Gardens, a new seven-bedroom villa plan, the opening of The Grand mall and RTA's Al Meydan Street road project.

Nad Al Sheba Gardens

Dubai Holding said in May 2025 that Meraas awarded a contract worth more than AED 690 million for a new phase of Nad Al Sheba Gardens. Dubai Holding listed a pool, a planned amphitheatre, running tracks and a yoga lawn for phase four.

Gulf Construction Online reported that the newer phases overlook a lagoon that people can swim in. Construction Week Online reported in about December 2025 that Meraas announced Phase 11 as the final cluster of the Gardens.

A broker marketing site says the Gardens will have 1,817 homes across 12 phases. Sources disagree on the number of phases. We could not confirm the final number of homes.

Seven-bedroom villa plan

The National reported on 24 September 2026 that seven-bedroom villas will be built in Nad Al Sheba. The headline of the report describes a 1 billion luxury living master plan. We could not confirm the developer, the number of villas or the completion date from our notes.

The Grand community mall

Arabian Business reported that Shamal Holding planned to start phased openings at The Grand on 19 August 2026. Waitrose and Partners anchors the first phase. MMI, Heart Cottage Lane, Maple Bear Nursery, Al Jaber Optical and Fixperts were also scheduled. We found only reports from before the opening. We could not confirm that the opening took place on that date.

Roads

Gulf News reported in about August 2026 that RTA awarded two contracts worth Dh1.161 billion for Al Meydan Street. The work includes a 700-metre elevated link on Dubai-Al Ain Road. Gulf News said the link will improve access to Nad Al Sheba.

RTA says Al Meydan Street will add 18% to north-south capacity. RTA calls it a parallel corridor to Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road and Al Khail Road. We could not confirm a completion date for the project.

Time Out Dubai reported in about July 2026 on a new RTA road project of "Dhs2 billion". Time Out said the corridor will serve Nad Al Sheba, Al Barari, Dubai Hills, District One, MBR Gardens, Living Legends, Majan and Global Village. Sources disagree on the cost and the population served. The reports probably describe different scopes. We could not confirm this.

Metro

RTA targets the start of Blue Line operations in September 2029. The Blue Line route that RTA lists does not pass through Nad Al Sheba. The nearest named station in our sources is Ras Al Khor.

Gulf Prime Magazine reported that the Gold Line was approved in April 2026 and is planned for 2032. It said the new lines will bring the Metro closer to Meydan. We could not confirm a Gold Line station inside or next to Nad Al Sheba.

Nearby plans

Dubai Holding says Meydan District 11 is planned with a mosque, a nursery and schools. These facilities may serve Nad Al Sheba residents in the future. We could not confirm opening dates.

Sources: Dubai Holding, Meraas awards contract for new phase of Nad Al Sheba Gardens, May 2025; Gulf Construction Online, Meraas unveils new residential units at Nad Al Sheba Gardens, c. 2025; Construction Week Online, Meraas unveils new chapter of Nad Al Sheba Gardens, c. Dec 2025; Tohid Fetrat, Nad Al Sheba Gardens by Meraas, c. Apr 2026; The National, Seven-bedroom villas to be built in Dubai's Nad Al Sheba, 24 Sep 2026; Arabian Business, Five new malls set to open across Dubai in 2026, c. 17 Aug 2026; Gulf News, Dubai RTA to Build New Dh1.16b Highway, c. 30 Aug 2026; Time Out Dubai, RTA announces new Dhs2 billion road project, c. Jul 2026; RTA, Awarding of Dubai Metro Blue Line project, c. Dec 2024; RTA, About Dubai Metro, c. 2021; Gulf Prime Magazine, Dubai Metro Expansion, c. Sep 2026; Dubai Holding Communities, Meydan, undated

Nad Al Sheba history

Nad Al Sheba was known for horse racing and camel racing before it became a villa area, and its homes date mostly from 2019 onwards.

Racing

Wikipedia says Nad Al Sheba is best known for its racecourse. Wikipedia places the racecourse in Nad Al Sheba 1. It also says the stables in Nad Al Sheba 2 bred Dubai Millennium and Essence of Dubai.

Wikipedia's article on Za'abeel says the old Nad Al Sheba Racecourse was in Za'abeel 2. That racecourse was demolished in 2009. Sources disagree on which community held the old racecourse site.

Dubai Musts, a local guide, says the Nad Al Sheba Cycle Park was once a camel track. We could not confirm when the camel track closed.

Early population

The Wikipedia infobox gives a population of 680 in the year 2000. This shows that few people lived in the area at that time.

Freehold law

Truhauz says Nad al-Sheba appears in the first schedule of freehold areas under Dubai Regulation No. 3 of 2006. Truhauz says Article 4 of the regulation excludes Land Plot 224 in Nad al-Sheba. That plot is limited to usufruct or a 99-year lease.

Timeline

• 2000: Population of 680, according to the Wikipedia infobox.
• 2006: Dubai Regulation No. 3 lists Nad al-Sheba in its schedule of freehold areas, according to Truhauz.
• 2007: The Ramsar Convention designates the nearby Ras Al Khor Wildlife Sanctuary, according to the Ramsar Sites Information Service.
• 2009: The old Nad Al Sheba Racecourse is demolished, according to the Wikipedia notes on Za'abeel.
• September 2014: Kings' School Nad Al Sheba opens in Nad Al Sheba 3, according to Edarabia.
• About 2019: Nakheel launches ready-to-occupy Nad Al Sheba Villas for UAE and GCC nationals, according to Middle East Construction News.
• 9 February 2021: Nakheel says the community has more than 1,570 homes and a retail and leisure Pavilion.
• 15 July 2021: Spinneys, Starbucks and Bedashing Beauty open at the Nad Al Sheba Pavilion, according to Nakheel.
• 25 December 2021: Gulf Today reports that RTA opened a widened sector of Dubai-Al Ain Road, with service roads to Nad Al Sheba 1 to 4.
• 2024: RTA completes the Al Khail Road improvement project, according to Gulf Business.
• May 2025: Meraas awards a contract of more than AED 690 million for a new phase of Nad Al Sheba Gardens, according to Dubai Holding.
• 1 July 2025: RTA widens the Sheikh Zayed Road exit to Al Meydan Street, according to the Dubai Media Office.
• About December 2025: Meraas announces Phase 11 as the final cluster of the Gardens, according to Construction Week Online.
• 19 August 2026: Planned start of phased openings at The Grand, according to Arabian Business and Time Out Dubai.
• About August 2026: RTA awards Al Meydan Street contracts worth Dh1.161 billion, according to Gulf News.
• 24 September 2026: The National reports a plan for seven-bedroom villas in Nad Al Sheba.

We could not confirm the opening date of Nad Al Sheba Mall. We could not confirm the opening date of the Nad Al Sheba Sports Complex.

Sources: Wikipedia, Nad Al Sheba, accessed Oct 2026; Wikipedia, Za'abeel, Dubai, accessed Oct 2026; Dubai Musts, Nad Al Sheba Cycle Park, c. Aug 2024; Truhauz, Freehold Areas in Dubai, c. Sep 2026; Ramsar Sites Information Service, Ras Al Khor Wildlife Sanctuary, designated 2007; Edarabia, Kings School Nad Al Sheba, c. Sep 2026; Middle East Construction News, Nakheel launches its ready-to-occupy Nad Al Sheba villas, c. 2019; Nakheel, Nad Al Sheba Villas press release, 9 Feb 2021; Nakheel, New Community Pavilion Opens at Nad Al Sheba Villas, 18 Jul 2021; Gulf Today, RTA opens part of Dubai-Al Ain Road widening project, 25 Dec 2021; Gulf Business, Al Khail Road Development project completed, c. Oct 2024; Dubai Holding, Meraas awards contract for new phase of Nad Al Sheba Gardens, May 2025; Dubai Media Office, RTA enhances traffic flow via Al Meydan Street, 1 Jul 2025; Construction Week Online, Meraas unveils new chapter of Nad Al Sheba Gardens, c. Dec 2025; Arabian Business, Five new malls set to open across Dubai in 2026, c. 17 Aug 2026; Time Out Dubai, The Grand is opening next month, 29 Jul 2026; Gulf News, Dubai RTA to Build New Dh1.16b Highway, c. 30 Aug 2026; The National, Seven-bedroom villas to be built in Dubai's Nad Al Sheba, 24 Sep 2026

Nad Al Sheba vs Meydan, Mohammed Bin Rashid City, Al Barari, Dubai Hills Estate, Ras Al Khor

Nad Al Sheba is a villa area with several developers, while Meydan is a Dubai Holding area next door, and Ras Al Khor to the north is mainly a wildlife sanctuary and industrial area.

Our sources give much more detail on Nad Al Sheba than on the five other areas. The comparison below uses only facts from our sources. Where we have no facts, we say so.

Nad Al Sheba vs Meydan

• Developer: Dubai Holding Communities manages the Meydan communities. Nad Al Sheba has two main developers: Nakheel and Meraas. Meraas is part of Dubai Holding Real Estate.
• Sub-areas: Dubai Holding lists five Meydan communities: Meydan Gated Community, Meydan Avenue, Meydan Racecourse Villas, Meydan District 11 and Meydan One. Nad Al Sheba has four official communities, according to the Dubai Statistics Center.
• Gated homes: Dubai Holding says Meydan Gated Community has Polo Town Houses, Grand Views and Millennium Estates. Nad Al Sheba has two gated communities in our sources: Nad Al Sheba Villas and Nad Al Sheba Gardens.
• Racing: Both areas have a racing link. Dubai Holding says the Gardens give access to the Meydan racetrack. Wikipedia says Nad Al Sheba is best known for its racecourse.
• Overlap: AKT Real Estate places Nad Al Sheba Gardens among freehold launches in Meydan. Some sources treat the Gardens as part of the wider Meydan area. We could not confirm the official boundary.
• Facilities: Dubai Holding says Meydan District 11 is planned with a mosque, a nursery and schools. Nad Al Sheba has Kings' School, community malls and a sports complex.
• Metro: Gulf Prime Magazine says the new Metro lines will bring the Metro closer to Meydan. We could not confirm a Metro station for Nad Al Sheba.

Nad Al Sheba vs Mohammed Bin Rashid City

• Distance: Meraas says Nad Al Sheba Gardens is 1 km from Mohammed Bin Rashid City.
• Position: District Real Estate places Nad Al Sheba between Downtown and the Mohammed Bin Rashid City corridor.
• Neighbour of Meydan: Dubai Holding says Meydan is next to Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum City.
• Roads: Time Out Dubai says the new RTA corridor will serve both Nad Al Sheba and District One.
• Other facts: We could not confirm the size, developer or home types of Mohammed Bin Rashid City from our sources.

Nad Al Sheba vs Al Barari

• Roads: Time Out Dubai says the new RTA corridor will serve both Nad Al Sheba and Al Barari.
• Other facts: We could not confirm the size, developer, home types or facilities of Al Barari from our sources.

Nad Al Sheba vs Dubai Hills Estate

• Roads: Time Out Dubai says the new RTA corridor will serve both Nad Al Sheba and Dubai Hills.
• Other facts: We could not confirm the size, developer, home types or facilities of Dubai Hills Estate from our sources.

Nad Al Sheba vs Ras Al Khor

• Land use: The Ramsar Sites Information Service says the Ras Al Khor Wildlife Sanctuary lies at the end of Dubai Creek. Wikipedia mentions the Ras Al Khor Industrial Area. Nad Al Sheba is mainly villa communities and sport.
• Position: The Ramsar Sites Information Service places the sanctuary north of the Nad Al Sheba area.
• Metro: RTA lists a Ras Al Khor station on the Blue Line. RTA targets operations from September 2029. We could not confirm a Metro station inside Nad Al Sheba.
• Roads: Wikipedia says Ras Al Khor Road (E44) bounds neighbouring Nad Al Hammar.
• Bus: Rome2rio shows an X23 bus from Oud Metha to Ras Al Khor Terminus. We could not confirm this route on the RTA site.
• Homes: We could not confirm any residential communities in Ras Al Khor from our sources.

Summary

Nad Al Sheba has large villas in gated communities. It has its own school, malls, clinics and sports complex. Meydan and Mohammed Bin Rashid City are its closest named neighbours in our sources. Al Barari and Dubai Hills share a planned RTA road corridor with it. Ras Al Khor lies to the north and will get a Blue Line station.

Sources: Dubai Holding Communities, Meydan, undated; Dubai Holding, Meraas awards contract for new phase of Nad Al Sheba Gardens, May 2025; Dubai Statistics Center, Population Bulletin Emirate of Dubai 2024, 2025; Wikipedia, Nad Al Sheba, accessed Oct 2026; AKT Real Estate, Freehold Areas in Dubai, c. Jul 2026; Gulf Prime Magazine, Dubai Metro Expansion, c. Sep 2026; Arabian Business, New mall set to open in Dubai in August 2026, c. May 2026; District Real Estate, Nad Al Sheba Dubai Property Guide 2026, Jun 2026; Time Out Dubai, RTA announces new Dhs2 billion road project, c. Jul 2026; Ramsar Sites Information Service, Ras Al Khor Wildlife Sanctuary, designated 2007; Wikipedia, Blue Line (Dubai Metro), accessed Oct 2026; RTA, About Dubai Metro, c. 2021; RTA, Awarding of Dubai Metro Blue Line project, c. Dec 2024; Wikipedia, Nad Al Hammar, accessed Oct 2026; Rome2rio, Union to Nad Al Sheba, undated

Nad Al Sheba questions

These are short answers to common questions about Nad Al Sheba, based on the sources used in the sections above.

What is Nad Al Sheba best known for?

Wikipedia says Nad Al Sheba is best known for its racecourse. Wikipedia also says the stables in Nad Al Sheba 2 bred Dubai Millennium and Essence of Dubai.

How many communities does Nad Al Sheba have?

The Dubai Statistics Center lists four communities, Nadd Al Shiba First to Fourth, numbered 615 to 618. Wikipedia lists five sub-communities, including Sobha City, but we could not confirm Sobha City as an official community.

Who developed Nad Al Sheba?

No single master developer built the whole area. Nakheel built Nad Al Sheba Villas, and Dubai Holding says Meraas develops Nad Al Sheba Gardens.

Is Nad Al Sheba freehold?

Sources disagree. Truhauz says Nad al-Sheba appears in the freehold schedule of Dubai Regulation No. 3 of 2006, but excludes Land Plot 224. District Real Estate says the area is open to all nationalities. Buyers should check the plot status with the Dubai Land Department.

Can non-GCC nationals buy in Nad Al Sheba Villas?

Nakheel's brochure says Nad Al Sheba Villas were sold only to UAE and GCC nationals. Middle East Construction News reported the same rule at the 2019 launch.

What types of homes are in Nad Al Sheba?

Nakheel built four- and five-bedroom villas. Time Out Dubai says Nad Al Sheba Gardens has villas and townhouses with three to seven bedrooms. Our sources do not describe any apartment blocks.

Is there a Metro station in Nad Al Sheba?

We could not confirm a Metro station inside Nad Al Sheba. The nearest named station in our sources is Ras Al Khor on the Blue Line, which RTA targets for operations from September 2029.

How far is Nad Al Sheba from Downtown Dubai?

The National says the district is about 10 minutes from Downtown Dubai. District Real Estate says it is about 15 to 20 minutes from central Dubai.

Which schools are in Nad Al Sheba?

The main KHDA-rated school in our sources is Kings' School Nad Al Sheba in Nad Al Sheba 3. WhichSchoolAdvisor lists its latest published KHDA rating as Very Good.

Where can residents shop?

The area has the Nad Al Sheba Pavilion, Nad Al Sheba Mall, Avenue Mall and The Grand at Nad Al Sheba Gardens. Arabian Business said Waitrose and Partners anchors the first phase of The Grand.

What are the service charges in Nad Al Sheba?

We did not find a RERA or Dubai Land Department service charge figure for Nad Al Sheba Villas or Nad Al Sheba Gardens. Buyers should ask the seller or the owners' association and check the RERA service charge index.

Is Nad Al Sheba part of Meydan?

AKT Real Estate places Nad Al Sheba Gardens among freehold launches in Meydan, and some sources treat the Gardens as part of the wider Meydan area. We could not confirm the official boundary.

Sources: Wikipedia, Nad Al Sheba, accessed Oct 2026; Dubai Statistics Center, Population Bulletin Emirate of Dubai 2024, 2025; Nakheel, Nad Al Sheba Villas brochure, undated; Middle East Construction News, Nakheel launches its ready-to-occupy Nad Al Sheba villas, c. 2019; Dubai Holding, Meraas awards contract for new phase of Nad Al Sheba Gardens, May 2025; Time Out Dubai, NAS Gardens Community Mall to open in August, c. May 2026; Truhauz, Freehold Areas in Dubai, c. Sep 2026; District Real Estate, Nad Al Sheba Dubai Property Guide 2026, Jun 2026; AKT Real Estate, Freehold Areas in Dubai, c. Jul 2026; RTA, Awarding of Dubai Metro Blue Line project, c. Dec 2024; The National, Seven-bedroom villas to be built in Dubai's Nad Al Sheba, 24 Sep 2026; Edarabia, Kings School Nad Al Sheba, c. Sep 2026; WhichSchoolAdvisor, The Complete List of KHDA Ratings for Dubai Private Schools 2026, c. Jun 2026; Arabian Business, Five new malls set to open across Dubai in 2026, c. 17 Aug 2026