The Longines Global Champions Tour stages its first Cairo stop from 22 to 24 October 2026, with the Giza Pyramids as the advertised backdrop. The official 2026 calendar, published on 18 January, lists Cairo between Rome (9 to 11 October) and the Rabat Finals (30 October to 1 November). Tickets are not on open sale yet. The tour’s shop still asks fans to sign up for Cairo alerts.
This is not a one-night exhibition. Founder Jan Tops told the January launch in Egypt that the Tour had signed a five-year agreement. SceneNow repeated that point in September. Cairo becomes a recurring CSI5* date, the first African city on a 17-stage season that already runs through Doha, Miami Beach, Mexico City, Shanghai, Madrid, Cannes, St Tropez, Paris, Monaco, London, and Rome.
What the launch actually confirmed
The Tour launched the Egyptian date at a press conference attended by Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly. Lt General Ashraf Salem Zaher, then head of the Egyptian Military Academy, spoke as well. The Egyptian Equestrian Federation president Dr Ismaiel Shaker was on the dais. A later SceneNow recap named a five-year hosting deal. Middle East News Agency, on 18 January, said a protocol was signed by the Military Academy, the federation, and the Global Champions company, represented locally by United Sports Company, under the patronage of President Abdel Fattah El Sisi.
MENA also wrote that the weekend would involve 20 teams and 120 riders. Treat the 20-team figure with care. The 2026 Global Champions League grid is 17 teams. The 120-rider number is closer to a full CSI5* field across classes, not a GCL-only count. MENA’s €35 million prize line reads like a season pool, not a single Cairo purse. Until the Cairo start list is posted, use the Tour’s own calendar page for dates and the GCL team list for names.
Title partner Longines remains official timekeeper. Each stop still crowns a Longines Global Champions Tour Grand Prix winner. The same weekend carries GCL team rounds. For 2026 the league tightened the format. Round 1 is 1.60 m. Only the top 10 teams go through to Round 2 at 1.55 m, scores carry over, and there are no drop scores. Grand Prix qualification now pulls the top 30 riders from that first round plus 10 more from a separate 1.60 m class, for a 40-rider Grand Prix.
The Cairo Pharaohs ride at home
A new GCL franchise, Cairo Pharaohs, was confirmed in the 12 February team announcement. The six-rider squad is Ismail Osama El Borai, Nayel Nassar, Inès Joly, Annelies Vorsselmans, Dalma Malhas, and Pim Mulder. Nassar is the name Egyptian and regional fans already know from Nations Cup weeks. El Borai is the Egyptian listed first. Dalma Malhas brings a Saudi programme into a Cairo-branded team.
They are not a paper side. In Miami Beach in April the Pharaohs put two clear rounds together in Round 2 and finished third. That is a podium in the opening month of a first GCL season. Home sand in October is a different test. Horses still have to fly. The plateau is a UNESCO site. The arena will sit in a controlled zone, not between the tourist queues at Khafre.
Exact gate, seating map, and ticket prices were still on “coming soon” on the official ticket shop as of 4 October. If you are planning a pyramids weekend around the 22nd, do not buy a third-party PDF. Register on tickets.gcglobalchampions.com for Cairo and wait for the Tour to open inventory. CSI5* weekdays often run morning national classes and afternoon or evening feature classes. Until Cairo posts a scheduler like Rome’s, assume a three-day block and leave Friday 23 October free if you only want the Grand Prix atmosphere.
Getting there is the same plateau problem as any night event at Giza. No Metro station drops you at the sand. Ride-hail to Al Haram, then follow event signage, or come from 6th of October on the desert ring if the organiser opens a western compound gate. Bring water and a hat for afternoon classes. October sun on the Giza sand is still sharp at 15:00.
Practical Details
- Dates: 22 to 24 October 2026
- Venue: Giza Plateau / Pyramids of Giza (exact compound to be posted with tickets)
- Nearest transit: no Metro at the plateau. Car or ride-hail via Al Haram. Allow extra time on Thursday and Friday evenings
- Price: not yet listed. Sign up for Cairo alerts on the official ticket shop
- Website: LGCT 2026 calendar and official tickets
