Erling Haaland and his father Alf-Inge Haaland have purchased properties in a luxury residential development in Abu Dhabi linked to Manchester City Football Club, as part of a broader £3 billion housing project on Yas Island. The announcement was made at a launch event held on October 12 at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, attended by the club’s former manager Pep Guardiola, who serves as the project's official brand ambassador.
The Manchester City Yas Residences development, by Ohana Development, will span 1.67 million square meters and is scheduled for completion in 2029. It is set to include more than 2,000 homes ranging in price from approximately £700,000 for a two-bedroom townhouse to around £2 million for a five-bedroom villa. The complex will feature amenities such as a dedicated Manchester City Training Academy, rooftop football pitches, fitness centers with cryotherapy and hydrotherapy rooms, sports courts, private beach access, and a marina.
Haaland, who joined Manchester City in 2022 and recently scored in a 3-0 win over Liverpool, confirmed in a video message at the event that both he and his father had secured homes in the development. Under UAE investment rules, they will receive ten-year residency visas, strengthening their ties to the region. Guardiola, who left Manchester City at the end of last season after ten years in charge and now works as a City Football Group ambassador, described Abu Dhabi as his “second home” and emphasized the importance of wellness and community in the project.
The launch was marked by a high-profile presentation including pyrotechnics, dancers, freestyle football performances, and appearances by the club mascots Moonchester and Moonbeam. More than 4,000 VIPs, brokers, and government officials were reported to have attended.
The development occurs amid controversy surrounding Manchester City. An independent Premier League panel found the club guilty of over 100 breaches of financial regulations from 2009 to 2018, including the use of “sham” sponsorship agreements linked to its Abu Dhabi ownership. The owners, Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan and the Abu Dhabi United Group (ADUG), have strongly denied wrongdoing and are appealing the verdict, asserting they possess “irrefutable evidence” of their innocence.
Critics have expressed disapproval of the timing and nature of the property promotion. Some view the campaign by Manchester City and its players, including stars Phil Foden, Mateo Kovacic, and former forward Omar Marmoush, as a dismissive response to the financial breach findings. Commentators have described the use of club figures to market luxury real estate in Abu Dhabi as “brazen” and indicative of the club’s disregard for the investigation results.
The £3.1 billion project is part of the broader investment footprint of the Abu Dhabi United Group, which also owns significant commercial and residential assets in Manchester, including the Co-op Live Arena. The Yas Island development aims to blend luxury living with the club’s football culture, embedding Manchester City branding and sporting facilities throughout the community.