UAE-Linked Land Ownership in Greater Manchester Rises 39%

Companies linked to the United Arab Emirates increased their land ownership in Greater Manchester by 39% between 2016 and 2026, growing from 73 to 101 hectares. Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, owner of Manchester City FC, holds two-thirds of this land, including the Etihad Stadium. These findings coincide with Manchester City FC being found guilty of an unprecedented nine-year breach of financial rules.

The Government of Abu Dhabi acquired 15 land titles during this period, primarily through the purchase of Circle Health Group. Public bodies in Greater Manchester spent £84.4 million on UAE-owned firms over the decade, with the majority of that expenditure consisting of NHS payments to Circle Health Group.

While critics argue that this reliance on Gulf finance aligns the region with an authoritarian state, Manchester City Council leader Garry Bridges defended the investments. Bridges stated that the city is in better shape now than in 2005 and called the suggestion that regeneration has been anything but positive "ludicrous."