The coronavirus pandemic caused havoc on the cultural and sporting calendar this year. Here's how several prominent local, regional and international events plan to get back up and running in 2021
Abu Dhabi T10
The fourth season of the 10-over cricket tournament was scheduled to run in November. It might reasonably have gone ahead, were it not for significant rejigs to cricket's calendar elsewhere, including the IPL and the PSL. As such, the organisers took the decision to reschedule to January 28 to February 6, 2021.
Academy Awards
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Regina King and Best Actor in a Supporting Role winner Brad Pitt walk backstage during the 92nd Oscars at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, California on February 9, 2020. AFP -
Regina King hugs Best Actor in a Supporting Role winner Brad Pitt backstage during the 92nd Oscars at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, California on February 9, 2020. -
US filmmaker Carol Dysinger (R) and director Elena Andreicheva (L) poses in the press room with the Oscar for Best Short Subject Documentary for "Learning to Skateboard in a Warzone (If You're a Girl)" along with US actor Mark Ruffalo during the 92nd Oscars. AFP -
Janelle Monae signs Sandy Powell's outfit during the Oscars show at the 92nd Academy Awards in Hollywood, Los Angeles. Reuters -
US actor Utkarsh Ambudkar performs onstage during the 92nd Oscars at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, California. AFP -
US directors Julia Reichert, Jeff Reichert (R) and Steven Bognar (L) pose in the press room with the Oscar for Best Documentary Feature for "American Factory" during the 92nd Oscars. AFP -
Natalie Portman, from left, Taika Waititi, winner of the award for best adapted screenplay for "Jojo Rabbit", and Timothee Chalamet pose in the press room at the Oscars. AP -
Brie Larson, left, speaks with Spike Lee in the audience at the Oscars on Sunday. AP -
Mark Ruffalo and Mahershala Ali embrace on the red carpet during the Oscars arrivals at the 92nd Academy Awards in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California. Reuters -
Bradley Cooper appears in the audience at the Oscars. AP -
Nancy Haigh, left, and Barbara Ling, winners of the award for best production design for "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood". AP -
Laura Dern (L) reacts with her mother Diane Ladd (R) after winning the Oscar for Actress in a Supporting Role for 'Marriage Story'. EPA -
Brad Pitt watches as Anthony Ramos speaks during the Oscars show at the 92nd Academy Awards in Hollywood. Reuters -
Laura Dern wins the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress in "Marriage Story". Reuters -
Tom Hanks, from left, Bradley Cooper and Rita Wilson speak in the audience at the Oscars. AP -
British costume designer Jacqueline Durran poses in the press room with the Oscar for Best Costume Design for "Little Women". AFP -
Adam Driver, left, congratulates Laura Dern, winner of the award for best performance by an actress in a supporting role for "Marriage Story" at the Oscars on Sunday. AP -
Best Supporting Actor Brad Pitt poses with the Oscar in the photo room during the 92nd Academy Awards in Hollywood. Reuters -
US actress Laura Dern poses with the award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role for "Marriage Story". AFP -
Eminem performs Till I Collapse during the Oscars show at the 92nd Academy Awards in Hollywood. Reuters -
Oscar Isaac and Salma Hayek Pinault walk onstage during the 92nd Annual Academy Awards at Dolby Theatre. AFP
While the 2020 Academy Awards went ahead unscathed, the same isn't true for next year's ceremony. Postponed from its usual February date, the ceremony is now slated to take place on Sunday, April 25, and will be held as a traditional in-person telecast. The postponement has also pushed the deadline for filmmakers to submit their films to February 28.
Art Dubai
One of the UAE's top art events of the year, Art Dubai was caught in the first wave of cancelled events in 2020, with its 14th event slated for mid-March. This month, Art Dubai announced its programme for the 2021 event, which will be one of the first in-person fairs to be held since the pandemic began. Around 86 galleries are already on the list to display works, and fair organisers plan to scatter activities across Dubai's art spaces.
Cannes Film Festival
Organisers announced in March that the film festival would be postponed, before cancelling the 2020 festival all together. The next Cannes is scheduled to take place in May 2021. Organisers have said they intend the festival to run as planned, although there is a chance that it will be staged later in the summer.
Dubai Rugby Sevens
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An early Dubai Rugby Sevens tournament, started by the Dubai Exiles RFC. The tournament was birthed in 1970, when the host club, Dubai Exiles, invited sides to play a competition in rugby’s abridged format. The invitees included teams from the British armed forces, who were happy for the break from garrison duties in what was then the Trucial States. The Exiles were the leading force in the early years of Gulf rugby. Courtesy Peter Thomas -
Dubai Exiles ar Rugby Sevens, December 1981. France have never won the Sevens. The closest they have got was when Les Bleus lost the 2011 final to England. But French hands have been on the Emirates International Trophy before, when Toulouse won the main competition in 1990.Courtesy: Emirates Airline Dubai Rugby Sevens -
The first Dubai sevens games were played on sand pitches. Courtesy Peter Thomas -
France have never won the Sevens. The closest they have got was when Les Bleus lost the 2011 final to England. But French hands have been on the Emirates International Trophy before, when Toulouse won the main competition in 1990. ALLSPORT/ Getty -
Some people get wistful about the old days of playing on sand. Others only remember the pain. “It was like playing in flour with bits of brick in it,” Mike Jackson, a former Dubai Hurricanes player, said of the experience. “Then you would get nicks and cuts that would go septic.” ALLSPORT/ Getty -
The tournament was played on sand up until 1995, when the pitches at the old Dubai Exiles ground were turfed thanks to huge investment by Emirates Airline. In the last final on sand in 1994, South Korea beat the Warblers 21-20. ALLSPORT -
Dubai was one of the legs of the new World Sevens Series formed in 1999. Even though both the event and the series have become increasingly formalised since, the best known faces are often to be seen with the amateur teams on the outside fields. Like in 2006, when the reigning world player of the year Dan Carter was waterboy for Stefan’s BHF. -
The tournament relocated from its original home in Al Awir to a new purpose-built site further into the desert in 2008. The new Sevens Stadium played host to that year’s Sevens, and also staged the format’s World Cup in 2009. -
The tournament relocated from its original home in Al Awir to a new purpose-built site further into the desert in 2008. The new Sevens Stadium played host to that year’s Sevens, and also staged the format’s World Cup in 2009. -
Nobody has tasted success in the international tournament at the Sevens more often than coach Ben Ryan. The Londoner oversaw wins with England in 2010 and 2011, then with Fiji in 2013 and 2015. -
Nobody has tasted success in the international tournament at the Sevens more often than coach Ben Ryan. The Londoner oversaw wins with England in 2010 and 2011, then with Fiji in 2013 and 2015. -
Rarely have more stars shared a field at the Sevens than when union royalty J9 Legends faced rugby league all-stars Joining Jack in the Vets event in 2013. It pitted the likes of Carlos Spencer, Stephen Larkham and Waisale Serevi against Jason Robinson and Andy Farrell. Jake Badger for The National -
J9 Legends made the final that season, but were beaten by Xodus Steelers in a classic encounter on Pitch 1. It was memorable less for the match, as the emotional scenes after, when J9 captain Serevi pushed Joost van der Westhuizen, who was stricken by motor neuron disease, through a guard of honour. Jake Badger for The National -
A year earlier, in 2012, Joining Jack had a celebrity fanboy running on water for their players. Bradley Wiggins had recently won the Tour de France and Olympic Gold, and was days away from being named BBC Sports Personality of the Year. A knighthood was in the offing, too. -
Joining Jack, a charity side that raises awareness of Duchenne muscular dystrophy, do a good line in celebrity fans. In 2015, Owen Farrell struck a notable figure on the sideline, while supporting father Andy in the Vets tournament. -
One of the greats of England rugby, Maggie Alphonsi, played for Tribe 7s in the Invitational Open in 2014. “Maggie the Machine” was not the only World Cup-winner on the outside fields that season, either. Steve Thompson, the hooker for the 2003 champions England, played for Gulf Legends in the International Vets. Satish Kumar / The National -
In 2015, former Scotland wing Thom Evans danced past a load of defenders to score a try for UR7s Wanderers in the International Open on Pitch 2. It was his first touch of the ball on his return to the game after five years out with a serious neck injury while on international duty. Victor Besa for The National -
Perhaps the most poignant victory in all 50 years of Dubai Sevens tournaments came in 2017, when Speranza 22 won the final of the International Invitational. The team had been set up in memory of Marcos Speranza, who had won the Gulf Under 19 title with Abu Dhabi Harlequins but later died in an air crash in his native Argentina. Courtesy Rory Greene -
The Al Maha team made history when they competed in the Gulf U18 Girls tournament by becoming the first all-Emirati female side to play at the Dubai Rugby Sevens. Antonie Robertson / The National -
Dubai Hurricanes’ bid for a hat-trick of Gulf Men’s League trophies will have to wait until next year. They won back-to-back titles in 2018 and 2019. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
The incredible 50-year journey of Dubai Rugby Sevens embodies the spirit of the city. Victor Besa / The National
The Emirates Airline Dubai Rugby Sevens was cancelled for the first time in its 51-year history in 2020. It was announced in July that the first two legs of the World Sevens Series, in Dubai and Cape Town, would not go ahead. Plans for a local invitational tournament were also later scuppered. The event is expected to return at the end of 2021. “We look forward to welcoming the world of rugby sevens back to The Sevens Stadium in Dubai,” Tom Burwell, the tournament director, said.
Euro 2020
The 16th football European Championship, commonly known as Euro 2020, was originally scheduled to take place from June 12-July 12, 2020, across 12 cities on the continent. In June it was agreed to restage the tournament the following year, to be held from June 11-July 11, 2021, while still being called Euro 2020. Rome's Stadio Olimpico will host the opening match, while Wembley, England's national stadium, will stage both semi-finals and the final.
Expo 2020 Dubai
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The steel structure that is Al Wasl plaza - the heart of the Expo. Courtesy: Expo 2020 Dubai -
Expo 2020 set to be postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic. Expo 2020 Dubai -
The completed centrepiece of Expo 2020, Al Wasl Plaza, pictured in January. The steel trellis is wide enough to fit two Airbus A380s inside. Expo 2020 Dubai -
Al Wasl Plaza's massive dome will have images and videos projected onto it. Pawan Singh / The National -
Solar 'trees' line the streets. Pawan Singh / The National
Perhaps the most anticipated event of this year across the Emirates was Expo 2020 Dubai. Four years in the making, Dubai was well on track to deliver a spectacular six-month international event. Once it became clear it would not be safe to host the event, the expo was postponed until October 2021. More than 190 countries are still due to take part with Dubai preparing to welcome millions of visitors.
Organisers said the postponement would only strengthen the event.
“I assure you that the UAE is absolutely ready to deliver a world-class event whatever the size of our physical and online audience," said Reem Al Hashimy, Minister of State for International Co-operation and director general of Expo 2020 Dubai Bureau. “After all see, how far we have come ... since Covid-19 became recognised as a global pandemic."
Expo 2020 Dubai will be held at the Dubai South site from October 1, 2021 to March 31, 2022.
Glastonbury
In early March 2020, festival organisers made the decision to pull the plug on its milestone 50th anniversary celebrations, which were due to take place between June 25 and 29 and feature a bumper bill of more than 1,000 acts. Glastonbury's cancellation was a bellwether for the decimated live music industry, which saw other key events such as Coachella and the Montreux Jazz Festival called off in April and June respectively. It is not yet clear whether the June 2021 festival will go ahead as planned.
International Defence Exhibition and Conference, Idex
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Idex 2019 visitors pose with firearms at the exhibition. Victor Besa/The National -
A exhibition visitor looks through the scope of a Caracal CAR 816 Assault Rifles. Victor Besa/The National -
Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces meets with Lt Gen Sir John Lorimer, UK’s Defence Senior Advisor to the Middle East. Rashed Al Mansoori / Ministry of Presidential Affairs -
Sheikh Mohamed speaks with Abdul Karim Al Zubaidi, Tunisia's minister of defence. Rashed Al Mansoori / Ministry of Presidential Affairs -
Sheikh Mohamed sits in the drivers' seat of a Russian-made Aurus armoured limousine. Ryan Carter / Ministry of Presidential Affairs -
Sheikh Mohamed tours the exhibition hall. -
Sheikh Mohamed meets Denis Manturov, Russia's Minister of Industry and Trade. Ryan Carter / Ministry of Presidential Affairs -
A visitor looks at a 30mm machine gun system. Victor Besa/The National -
The MAXXPRO vehicle. Victor Besa/The National -
The Ajban 44 7A. Victor Besa/The National -
A Speerhead 360 Long-Range Mobile Intelligence Platform. Victor Besa/The National -
Visitors check out one of the 50mm sniper rifles at the exhibition. Victor Besa/The National -
The PANTSIR_ME at the Russia area of IDEX. Victor Besa/The National -
The Red Arrow 10 Multi-Purpose Missile System by Norinco. Victor Besa/The National -
Dubai Police GHIATH Mobile. Victor Besa/The National -
Sheikh Mohamed tours the exhibit. Mohamed Al Hammadi / Ministry of Presidential Affairs -
Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed meets Marc Allen, President of Boeing International. Ryan Carter / Ministry of Presidential Affairs
From armoured vehicles to reconnaissance drones, the International Defence Exhibition and Conference (Idex) is where billions of dirhams worth of contracts for military technologies are signed. More than 1,300 exhibitors are due to take part in next year's event, which will be held partly online and with safety measures in place. It will be staged from February 21 to 25 at Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre.
Met Gala 2021
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1985: 35 years ago Cher turned up with costume designer to the stars Bob Mackie, wearing his design (which looks like something that has now been recreated by the likes of J-Lo and the Kardashian clan about 1,000 times). Look, she was even an early adopter of the 'Maria Tash' ear cuff. Getty Images -
1990: In the '90s, Naomi Campbell was definitely the person who had the most fun with fashion at the Met Gala. This was her Met Gala debut: the Versace mini dress is so perfectly '90s. Getty Images -
2004: Golden Balenciaga was the order of the day for Diane Kruger in 2004 when the theme was "Dangerous Liaisons: Fashion and Furniture in the 18th Century". As you can see by the dirty pavement, the red carpet itself didn't really exist back then, but she still brought red carpet glam. Getty Images -
2005: Karolina Kurkova's Chanel gown emblazoned with 'I Love You' was a true statement look, when, 15 years ago, the outfits at the Costume Institute Gala were far more subdued. It also kind of looks like a duvet, which appeals to our comfort dressing instincts. Getty Images -
2006: John Galliano, the man behind this stage-costume-like dress, walked Charlize Theron down the red carpet. The theme on the night was "AngloMania: Tradition and Transgression in British Fashion". Getty Images -
2006: Meanwhile, Sarah Jessica Parker truly stuck to the British theme in this design by the late, great Alexander McQueen. Getty Images -
2007: Gold headband, gorgeous purple dress, Lucy Liu stole the show in Zac Posen in 2007. Getty Images -
2007: While Renee Zellweger was all subdued sparkle in Carolina Herrera. Getty Images -
2008: The theme this year was Superheroes, and yet most in attendance went for very simple gowns. Supermodel Amber Valletta, however, looked like an actual caped crusader, albeit a very fabulous one, in Versace. Getty Images -
2008: Zac Posen is the king of big, feminine Met Gala gowns. This yellow dress worn by Kate Mara would be considered shy and retiring by today's Costume Institute standards, but was actually one of the boldest gowns on the red carpet 12 years ago. Getty Images -
2009: Suits are a dime a dozen on the red carpet these days, but they were rare at the Met Gala when Rihanna wore this Dolce and Gabanna two-piece. It's not necessarily the pinnacle of today's style, but it was a major moment 11 years ago. (Keep scrolling to see further proof that this woman is a style trail blazer). Getty Images -
2010: It's simple, but sometimes all a red carpet needs is a shimmering, strapless champagne ball gown. This number Anne Hathaway is wearing is by her go-to designer Valentino. EPA -
2011: Jennifer Lopez arrived to the Met Gala with Marc Anthony on her arm in 2011, oh how times have changed. But one thing that's timeless is this Gucci dress, floral shrug and all. EPA -
2012: Turban, rose gold, high-necked, sequins for days - Karolina Kurkova is the epitome of modest chic in this custom Rachel Zoe. EPA -
2012: Tulle and embellishments are two mainstays of red carpet dressing, and this Dolce and Gabbana gown combines them in a very surprising way. Fast fact: 2012 was also the year Scarlett Johansson joined the 'Avengers' movies. EPA -
2013: We personally think this hot pink Valentino tops Gwyneth Paltrow's famous pink Oscars gown (which was too twee for our taste). It's timeless yet very contemporary, quite a feat. EPA -
2013: The theme this year was Punk, and while Uma Thurman didn't stick to it by even an inch, we don't care, because this green Zac Posen gown is old-Hollywood glamour at its best. He looks proud as punch posing with his design - and, as he should, the workmanship is beautiful. EPA -
2014: Rihanna follows her own path, and sets trends in the process. This 2014 Stella McCartney design definitely seems to have inspired plenty of Hadid-sister-era looks. She's a fashion icon of our times for a reason. EPA -
2014: Both sculptural, and like a painting, this Marchesa gown is unusual and yet very classic in sensibility. Karolina Kurkova is definitely a model that uses her red carpet powers for good. EPA -
2014: Zac Posen is a master of the feminine, classical fairytale gown, but ones that flatter the wearer. Liu Wen looks stunning in this turquoise dress. A true Cinderella moment. EPA -
2015: This Guo Pei yellow dress launched a thousand memes (is it an omelette or Big Bird?) but, really, it's a work of art. The theme this year was China, and the fact Rihanna opted for a Chinese designer rather than going for some badly pitched appropriation makes her a winner in our eyes. EPA -
2015: This unusual Giles dress gets an A for originality, which is kind of Solange's personal style modus operandi. EPA -
2016: The lake of a train on this Dolce & Gabbana gown mimics a peacock, which is a gloriously show-off move by Zoe Saldana. EPA -
2016: More Zac Posen - we just can't get enough of him. What you can't see here is that this ice white dress Claire Danes wore is actually glow in the dark. You've got to love a dress with a sense of the dramatic. EPA -
2017: It is called the Costume Institute Gala after all, and Rihanna always delivers. This Comme des Garcons design is pure pouf but also very elegant. Again, a work of art. EPA -
2018: We've shown some serious favouritism toward Rihanna in this list, but she deserves it because she always brings something worth talking about. Some may think she took the "Fashion and the Catholic Imagination" theme too literally, but this Margiela-designed, Pope-inspired look was the most talked about of the night. EPA -
2018: Swarovski headgear turns this cardinal red velvet Ralph Lauren dress into a work of art - and we think this is Priyanka Chopra's best Met Gala look to date. EPA -
2018: A dress that truly requires a grand staircase, this Versace dress that followed Blake Lively up the Metropolitan Museum's stairs reportedly took 600 man hours to make. That's extra. EPA -
2019: This Versace column gown is made of crystal-embroidered stars, what's no to love? The always-stylish Lupita Nyong'o worked closely with Donatella Versace in its creation. EPA -
2019: Gaga isn't known as the shy and retiring type when it comes to style choices, and this hot pink Brandon Maxwell has to be her biggest gown to date. She stripped off to a bodysuit later in the evening, proving this look is as versatile as it is voluminous. EPA
Every year, fashion history is made on the sweeping stairs of New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art. Organised by Anna Wintour, the annual Met Gala takes place on the first Monday of May, and sees the world’s most stylish celebrities converge for a fundraising event. Originally scheduled to take place on Monday, May 4, the Met Gala 2020 was postponed indefinitely on March 16, due to increasing public health concerns over the spread of Covid-19, and then cancelled in May. Met Gala 2021 is scheduled for May 3, but a theme has yet to be confirmed.
Ryder Cup
With the sporting calendar thrown into disarray, in April it was announced that golf's Ryder Cup would remain in its September 25-27 berth. From there, debate raged as to whether the 43rd edition of the biennial tournament, to take place at Whistling Straits in Wisconsin, should go ahead even without fans in attendance. Eventually, it was pushed back in June to September 24-26, 2021.
T20 World Cup
Men’s cricket will have three World Cups in the space of three years from 2021 to 2023. The decision was taken in July to postpone the 2020 T20 World Cup, which had been scheduled to be played in October and November in Australia. The 2021 version will go ahead in India, as was planned, with the 20-over event returning a year later to Australia. The following year, the 50-over World Cup will take place, also in India.
Tokyo Olympics
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Thomas Bach, International Olympic Committee (IOC) president wearing a protective mask, talks to journalists during a visit to Olympic and Paralympic village in Tokyo, Japan. Reuters -
International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach greets Endo Toshiaki, vice president of Tokyo 2020, during a visit to the Olympic and Paralympic villages in Tokyo. AFP -
A protester demanding cancellation of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games holds a banner in front of the National Stadium, the main stadium of Tokyo 2020 Olympics and Paralympics, while Thomas Bach, President of the IOC visits the site in Tokyo. Reuters -
Thomas Bach, International Olympic Committee (IOC) president wearing a protective mask, talks to journalists during a visit to Olympic and Paralympic village in Tokyo, Japan. Reuters -
Protesters demanding cancellation of Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games hold a rally in front of the National Stadium in Tokyo. Reuters -
Thomas Bach, IOC president, speaks to the media as he visits the National Stadium. Reuters -
A protester holds a banner in front of the National Stadium. Reuters -
Thomas Bach wears a protective mask as he visits the National Stadium. Reuters -
A protester demanding cancelling of Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. Reuters -
Thomas Bach, IOC president, speaks to the media as he visits the National Stadium. Reuters
The 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo were postponed for a year as the pandemic took grip, and are now scheduled to run from Friday, July 21, to Sunday, August 8. Discussions are ongoing about whether spectators will be allowed to attend.
Organisers will spend $900 million on measures to stop the spread of the virus, and John Coates, vice-president of the International Olympic Committee, is calling them the "Games that conquered Covid". The IOC maintained they will not delay the Games beyond 2021.
Venice Biennale
The schedules for the Venice Architecture Biennale and the revered art exhibition were postponed to 2021 and 2022 respectively due to the pandemic. Meant to open in May this year, the architecture exhibition was first rescheduled to August. As the Covid-19 situation in Italy and around the world worsened in the subsequent months, however, the organisation behind the shows decided to push both international events by a year. The 17th International Architecture Exhibition will now take place in May 2021, while the 59th International Art Exhibition is scheduled for April 2022.
Wimbledon
For the first time since the Second World War, the Wimbledon Championships were cancelled during a professional tennis season that was severely disrupted, with the sport going into shutdown between March and the end of August. Financially, though, Wimbledon did not suffer too significantly, having paid pandemic insurance for the past 17 years and reportedly received a payout of approximately $141 million. It was the only one of the four majors to take out such protection. The Championships will be back in 2021 in its usual end of June slot.
World Government Summit
This year's World Government Summit was set to take place in Dubai in November, during Expo. It was due to be the largest gathering yet with more than 10,000 high-profile officials and hundreds of experts and scholars expected to attend. When the Expo was postponed, the summit was moved online and held in December. The dates for next year's event have yet to be announced and organisers are still to decide if it will be held virtually or in-person. Typically held in the final few months of the year, and with vaccination programmes under way across several countries, it is likely the summit will have a physical presence next year.
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Year in review
