Dubai Parks and Resorts to open first Real Madrid theme park

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Real Madrid theme park
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An exclusive multi-year agreement with Dubai Parks and Resorts will see the launch of the first Real Madrid-inspired theme park in the world.

Set to be situated within the top theme park destination in the Middle East, the Real Madrid experience is due to be inaugurated toward the final months of 2023, showcasing the culture surrounding the highly regarded team.

Suitable for all ages, the theme park will provide visitors with numerous opportunities to immerse themselves in Real Madrid-related experiences.

These experiences are inspired by and capture the passion and success of the 14-time European Cup winners. They will feature a range of attractions, including audio-visual displays, rides, and interactive experiences such as playable gaming interactions and football skill games.

Food and beverage outlets, a museum and exclusive retail shops will also be at the heart of the newly announced theme park, with featured memorabilia to be available from throughout Real Madrid’s rewarding history.

Named FIFA’s Best Club of the 20th Century and considered to be the most popular football club in the world, Chief Executive Officer of Dubai Holding Entertainment, Fernando Eiroa, expressed the company’s elation on inking a deal with Real Madrid in a press release:

“We are delighted that Real Madrid has chosen Dubai Parks and Resorts as its partner in our quest to bring the best entertainment brands to the region,” he said.

“Real Madrid is a global football megastar with an unparalleled record of success and millions of passionate fans in all corners of the globe.”

As the region’s leading integrated theme park destination, Dubai Parks and Resorts aims to celebrate a diverse selection of world-class brands and rides.

Stretching over 230 hectares of land, there are currently theme parks, retail outlets and hospitality sectors displaying innovation and inspirational entertainment experiences within the area. The addition of the theme park will no doubt add some more tourism and reason to go there.

Adding to the concept of Dubai Parks and Resorts, the newly launched Real Madrid theme park is set to come to fruition at the already-appointed home of three world-class theme parks, a water park, Riverland Dubai and a family-orientated resort.

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SBS expands Australian Championship broadcast coverage for 2026

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Image Credits: Football Australia

The Australian Championship will enter its second season with an expanded broadcast partnership between Football Australia and SBS. The 2026 competition will feature two live SBS broadcasts in every round, marking an increase from the tournament’s debut season.

Thursday night football will form a key part of the new broadcast schedule. The opening match will see Preston Lions face Wollongong Wolves on October 15th, with the game broadcast live on SBS2 and SBS On Demand. Saturday football will also remain part of the free-to-air schedule; first up, Sutherland Sharks’ clash with South Melbourne on October 17th will be shown live on SBS and SBS On Demand.

The expanded agreement gives the competition a greater presence across SBS’s linear channels while retaining its full streaming coverage, with every match across the 2026 Australian Championship available live on SBS On Demand. The platform also provides full replays and highlights for viewers to access at their discretion.

In addition to SBS’ coverage, Football Australia will also stream the competition via YouTube.

The Australian Championship consists of a six-round group stage, finals beginning at quarter-finals from November 26, and a Grand Final scheduled currently between December 10-12.

It features 16 clubs from seven states and territories. The broadcast schedule places several historic fixtures in front of a national audience: South Melbourne will meet Sydney United 58 in a repeat of the 1999 NSL Grand Final, and Sydney Olympic and Marconi Stallions will also renew a rivalry that includes NSL Grand Final meetings in 1989 and 1990.

IMG takes commercial lead on inaugural FIFA ASEAN Cup

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Image Credit: Vietnam Football Federation

IMG has been appointed to lead the global commercialisation of the inaugural FIFA ASEAN Cup, giving the new Southeast Asian national-team competition an established international sports business partner ahead of its first edition.

Under the strategic partnership, IMG will manage worldwide media and sponsorship rights sales while also overseeing broadcast production for the tournament, which takes place from 24 September to 5 October across Indonesia and Hong Kong, China.

The inaugural competition will feature 14 national teams, including all 11 ASEAN members alongside guest nations, with matches split between two divisions. Division 2 fixtures will be played in Jakarta and Badung, while Division 2 matches will be played in Hong Kong.

The agency’s role will include selling sponsorship and media inventory internationally while helping establish the broadcast infrastructure required to present the tournament to audiences outside Southeast Asia.

The partnership builds on IMG’s existing strategic relationship with PT Garuda Sepak Bola Indonesia, which has been working with the Football Association of Indonesia since 2025 on areas including commercial strategy, media rights, production and digital development.

For FIFA, the tournament creates another international football property in a region with a large and increasingly connected football audience.

For IMG, it adds another major regional property to a football portfolio that already includes competitions and organisations across Europe, the Americas, Asia and Africa.

The immediate challenge will be turning the inaugural tournament into a sustainable commercial property capable of attracting broadcasters and sponsors beyond its first edition.

If successful, the FIFA ASEAN Cup could provide Southeast Asian national teams with a recurring commercial platform while giving IMG another foothold in one of football’s developing markets.

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