Abu Dhabi's Aldar becomes real estate partner of Premier League champions Manchester City

Partnership allows the club and Aldar to work together on a number of new real estate, retail and football education-related projects within the region

Aldar Properties and Manchester City's partnership will also benefit local communities as the two entities will work on developing the football landscape in Abu Dhabi and the rest of the UAE. Photo AlShow more

Aldar Properties, Abu Dhabi’s biggest property developer by market value, has become the official real estate partner of Premier League champions Manchester City.

The partnership allows Manchester City and Aldar to work together on new real estate, retail and football education-related projects within the region, Aldar said in a statement on Thursday.

Aldar will use the Manchester City brand and intellectual property to promote selected residential projects to the club’s global audience. The partnership will also benefit local communities as the two entities will work on developing the football landscape in Abu Dhabi and the rest of the UAE.

Aldar’s brand will also be featured at Etihad Stadium on match days throughout the year. The developer will also seek to engage Manchester City fans in the UAE, at Etihad Stadium and across the world with exclusive events and campaigns in collaboration with the club, it said.

“As a club, we are continually working to find new ways to engage with our global fan base and offer unique experiences for our communities around the world,” said Stephan Cieplik, senior vice president for global partnership sales at City Football Group.

“By aligning with Aldar, the club will be able to further use the power of football to make an impact within the region and build on Manchester City’s growth in the UAE.”

As part of the agreement, Aldar will use the Manchester City brand and intellectual property to promote select residential projects to the club’s global audience.

The deal with the club will help Aldar engage closely with customers and investors in international markets and provide them with access to Abu Dhabi’s real estate market, said Rashed Al Omaira, chief commercial officer at Aldar Development.

“This partnership will also promote and encourage sport in Abu Dhabi and will enable the next generation of UAE footballers to learn from some of the world’s top football coaches,” he said.

The deal with Aldar is the second the club has signed in less than a months with an Abu Dhabi entity.

Earlier in January, the club joined hands with Abu Dhabi’s renewable energy and sustainable development company, Masdar.

As part of the agreement, City and Masdar will run a global campaign aimed at raising awareness of the importance of climate action and mitigating climate change.

Masdar is investing in the development of renewable energy projects across the Middle East and North Africa, and wider international markets, with a presence in almost 40 countries worldwide.

“Climate change is the defining issue of our time, which affects us all. By working together to raise awareness, educate and take action, we can turn this global challenge into an opportunity,” Masdar chief executive Mohamed Jameel Al Ramahi said at the time.

"Manchester City is one of the biggest names in world football and Masdar is now one of the biggest players in clean energy, by working together across different activities and initiatives, we can play our part in delivering a sustainable future.”