In November 2022, as we reported then, Real Madrid Football Club announced the signing of an agreement with Dubai Parks and Resorts, to design and build the world’s first theme park based on the history of a football club. Well, we have recently learned that the theme park project has come to fruition. It is Real Madrid World, in Dubai (United Arab Emirates).
In fact, according to a press release from the football club itself, Real Madrid World was officially inaugurated on 13th November (2024) with the attendance of, among others, Emilio Butragueño, the club’s director of international relations, and, as its ambassador, former player Roberto Carlos.
Located some 50 km south of Dubai International Airport, Real Madrid World occupies 6 ha – or “the equivalent of 6 football pitches like the Santiago Bernabeu”, as the club’s official stadium is called – and features more than 40 attractions, several restaurants, and commercial and retail space. Among the attractions, ‘the Middle East’s first and only wooden roller coaster”, and, of course, a complete football pitch. Among the theming elements, the park features a reproduction of Madrid’s Cibeles fountain, a place in the capital where fans regularly gather en masse to celebrate their football club’s triumphs.
In his opening speech, Butragueño said that with the Real Madrid World theme park “we bring to life a very important and beloved part of our history, stemming from the emotions and dreams of Real Madrid fans”. The club’s director of international relations then quoted the club’s president, Florentino Pérez, who said that “Real Madrid belongs to the hearts of the people”.
To learn more about the history of Real Madrid Club de Fútbol and the origin of the project, we encourage you to read our article, here:
Sources and images: Real Madrid Club de Fútbol, Real Madrid World.
