As more than 20,000 delegates get ready to descend on Cannes next week for MIPIM, the UK delegation has a strong football flavour at this year’s event.
To showcase the real estate and regeneration opportunities linked to some of the biggest clubs in world football, the global urban festival will welcome key figures from Manchester United, Liverpool, Everton and Newcastle football clubs.
On Tuesday 11 March at 2.30pm at the Cardiff Capital Region Pavilion, Welsh international footballer Helen Ward will talk about the opportunity surrounding the arrival of the Euro 2028 football tournament in Wales.
At 11.45am on Wednesday 12 March at the UK Hub, Lord Sebastian Coe, chairman of the Old Trafford Regeneration Task Force, and Collette Roche, chief operating officer at Manchester United Football Club, will take part in a panel debate discussing how infrastructure upgrades, housing, commercial development and public space can unlock a world-class stadium’s potential and drive growth.
At 2.30pm on the same day at the Liverpool City Region Pavilion, Colin Chong, interim chief executive of Everton Football Club, will participate in a panel debate discussing the intersection of sport and development, showcasing opportunities such as Everton’s new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock and Liverpool FC’s expansion into hospitality.
And on Thursday morning, Newcastle United legend David Ginola is appearing at the Invest Newcastle stand.
Ginola said: “The people of Newcastle took me to their hearts and I am proud to be an adopted Geordie. My time in the city was a special time in my life. I have had the pleasure of returning to Newcastle since I left the club many years ago and to see how it has developed and grown is amazing to see. It is an exciting time on the pitch for the Toon Army and the city is bustling with opportunity. I can’t think of a better place than MIPIM, one of the world’s most renowned investment events in my own home region, to help tell the world’s real estate market how Newcastle is a great place to invest”
Everton FC’s Colin Chong said: “We are proud that Everton’s new world-class waterfront stadium sits at the very heart of Liverpool’s North Docks. The stadium will be the catalyst for the expansive development of Liverpool Waters, which is undoubtedly one of the UK’s most ambitious and exciting projects. As well as providing a new footballing home for the club, Everton Stadium will quickly become a ‘go-to’ multi-purpose venue, capable of staging concerts and other major sporting events, while also providing the city of Liverpool with a cultural asset that is estimated to generate an additional £1.3bn boost to the economy.
“Everton Stadium has already been selected as a host venue for the UEFA European Championships in 2028, with a strong pipeline of additional revenue-generating non-football events in planning. I often describe our new home as Liverpool’s Fourth Grace, and I truly believe this magnificent stadium is one that the whole city can be proud of. Now, we want the world to learn about Everton stadium too, and MIPIM presents the perfect opportunity to do that.”
The FIFA World Cup 2034, which is taking place in Saudi Arabia, will also feature in the real estate opportunities showcased at the Invest Saudi pavilion.
