This study investigates the biogeographic patterns of soil bacterial communities across Antarctica, aiming to assess whether these patterns align with the current Antarctic Conservation Biogeographic Regions (ACBRs) classification. The research utilized 16S rRNA gene amplicon datasets from 1164 soil samples across 17 datasets, covering various regions including the Antarctic mainland, sub-Antarctic islands, and associated archipelagos. The study found that bacterial diversity and community composition did not fully conform to the ACBR classification, with 19% of variability explained by the classification. The largest differences in bacterial community composition were observed between the broader continental and maritime Antarctic regions, where there was some structural overlap between bacterial communities, not fully reflecting the division into separate ACBRs. Strong divergence was also apparent between Antarctic/sub-Antarctic islands and the Antarctic mainland. Bacterial communities were partially shaped by bioclimatic conditions, with 28% of dominant genera showing habitat preferences linked to at least one of the bioclimatic variables analyzed. These genera were also reported as indicator taxa for the ACBRs. The study concludes that the current ACBR subdivision of the Antarctic continent does not fully reflect bacterial distribution and diversity in Antarctica. There was considerable overlap in the structure of soil bacterial communities within the maritime Antarctic region and within the continental Antarctic region. The results suggest that bacterial communities might be impacted by regional climatic and other environmental changes. The dataset developed in this study provides a comprehensive baseline that will provide a valuable tool for biodiversity conservation efforts on the continent. Further studies are clearly required, and the need for more extensive campaigns to systematically sample and characterize Antarctic and sub-Antarctic soil microbial communities is emphasized. The study highlights the importance of considering bioclimatic variables and environmental factors in understanding the distribution and diversity of soil bacterial communities in Antarctica.This study investigates the biogeographic patterns of soil bacterial communities across Antarctica, aiming to assess whether these patterns align with the current Antarctic Conservation Biogeographic Regions (ACBRs) classification. The research utilized 16S rRNA gene amplicon datasets from 1164 soil samples across 17 datasets, covering various regions including the Antarctic mainland, sub-Antarctic islands, and associated archipelagos. The study found that bacterial diversity and community composition did not fully conform to the ACBR classification, with 19% of variability explained by the classification. The largest differences in bacterial community composition were observed between the broader continental and maritime Antarctic regions, where there was some structural overlap between bacterial communities, not fully reflecting the division into separate ACBRs. Strong divergence was also apparent between Antarctic/sub-Antarctic islands and the Antarctic mainland. Bacterial communities were partially shaped by bioclimatic conditions, with 28% of dominant genera showing habitat preferences linked to at least one of the bioclimatic variables analyzed. These genera were also reported as indicator taxa for the ACBRs. The study concludes that the current ACBR subdivision of the Antarctic continent does not fully reflect bacterial distribution and diversity in Antarctica. There was considerable overlap in the structure of soil bacterial communities within the maritime Antarctic region and within the continental Antarctic region. The results suggest that bacterial communities might be impacted by regional climatic and other environmental changes. The dataset developed in this study provides a comprehensive baseline that will provide a valuable tool for biodiversity conservation efforts on the continent. Further studies are clearly required, and the need for more extensive campaigns to systematically sample and characterize Antarctic and sub-Antarctic soil microbial communities is emphasized. The study highlights the importance of considering bioclimatic variables and environmental factors in understanding the distribution and diversity of soil bacterial communities in Antarctica.