MUMBAI: Bollywood, bricks and a billion-dirham bet. Sobha Realty has returned as title sponsor of IIFA weekend for the fourth year running, and it has used the stage in Mumbai to talk up its biggest move yet: Abu Dhabi. At the IIFA press conference on 27 October 2026, the UAE-based luxury developer highlighted its expansion into the capital and its growing global footprint.
The numbers set the tone. India remains a key market for Sobha Realty, with Indian buyers accounting for 20 per cent of its total sales. The company is strengthening its presence across the UAE while expanding into international markets, including the United States and Australia.
Ashish Parakh, group chief sales and marketing officer, represented Sobha Realty at the conference. The company reaffirmed its association with IIFA as title sponsor of IIFA weekend and co-presenting sponsor of the IIFA Awards 2027. The event is scheduled for 22 and 23 January 2027 at Etihad Arena, Yas Island, Abu Dhabi. The upcoming edition strengthens the developer’s connection with Indian audiences globally and brings the celebrations to a market central to Sobha Realty’s next phase of growth in the UAE.
The centrepiece is Sobha City. Unveiled earlier this year, the AED 40 billion master-planned development spans approximately 38 million sq ft in Abu Dhabi. It sits in Al Bahiya, close to Yas Island and Zayed International Airport. It is the company’s first large-scale residential community in the UAE capital and reflects its long-term confidence in Abu Dhabi’s evolving real estate landscape.
Sobha City is envisioned as a nature-led, integrated community. It will bring together thoughtfully designed residences, expansive green spaces, waterfront experiences and lifestyle amenities. Nearly 60 per cent of the masterplan is dedicated to open and green spaces, which the company says embodies its commitment to sustainable urban planning, wellbeing and design excellence. The project builds on the developer’s five-decade legacy of craftsmanship and its philosophy of “The Art of Detail”, supported by its proprietary Backward Integration model.
The expansion comes amid continued growth. The developer’s 2026 handovers across Dubai carry a combined sales value of approximately AED 21.6 billion. Beyond the UAE, Sobha Realty has advanced its global strategy through regional offices and strategic land acquisitions in the United States and Australia, reinforcing its ambition to build on its UAE foundation.
Francis Alfred, managing director, Sobha Realty, was upbeat. “Congratulations to IIFA on another landmark edition. Its return to Abu Dhabi coincides with a defining moment for Sobha Realty as we enter the capital with our landmark development, Sobha City,” he said. “Today we have 79 million sq. ft. and over 37,000 homes under construction across three emirates in the UAE and will hand over more than 6,000 homes across Dubai this year alone. Behind every one of those numbers is a customer who placed their trust in us, and a promise kept. That same discipline, the Art of Detail and the same uncompromising quality and values now travel with us to the United States and Australia. Our ambition is not to be the largest developer from the UAE, but one of the most respected in the world, building communities that endure for generations to come.”
Parakh, speaking at the press conference, said: “Our continued association with IIFA reflects a shared commitment to excellence, creativity and connecting with audiences across the world. As we celebrate our fourth consecutive year of partnership, we are particularly delighted to see IIFA return to Abu Dhabi, a market that holds immense strategic importance for Sobha Realty. Earlier this year, we announced our entry into the capital with Sobha City, one of our most ambitious master-planned developments, reflecting our confidence in Abu Dhabi’s long-term growth and our vision to create exceptional, sustainable living environments across the UAE.”
He added: “India continues to be an important market for Sobha Realty, with Indian buyers representing 20 per cent of our sales. The trust and confidence of our Indian customers have been instrumental in our growth journey.” He said the focus remains on delivering developments defined by quality, craftsmanship and lasting value, and that the IIFA partnership lets the company celebrate its longstanding connection with India while introducing its evolving global vision to a wider audience.
The IIFA link began in Abu Dhabi in 2023 and has become an important platform for building the company’s global brand presence. The partnership reflects a shared appreciation for creativity, precision and excellence. Sobha Realty also builds its global visibility through partnerships with Arsenal Football Club and the International Cricket Council (ICC), which let it engage diverse audiences across key international markets and reinforce its position as a leading UAE-based luxury developer with an expanding global presence.
The analysis is straightforward. Sobha Realty is playing a three-part game: sell to India, build in the UAE, and brand itself to the world. IIFA speaks to the first, Sobha City to the second and Arsenal and the ICC to the third. With Indian buyers contributing 20 per cent of sales, a Bollywood platform that now lands in Abu Dhabi, the very city where Sobha City is rising, is a neat piece of timing. Add the scale of 79 million sq ft and over 37,000 homes under construction, and the pitch to investors is credibility as much as glamour.
The company’s roots add weight to the story. Sobha Realty was established in 1976 as an interior decoration firm in Oman by PNC Menon, a visionary entrepreneur. It has since grown with developments and investments in the UAE, Oman and India, and now has sixteen masterplans across the UAE. Its flagship community, Sobha Hartland, is home to over 11,000 residents. Sobha Siniya Island, its masterplan and first-ever luxury island project, features luxury villas, mansions and resorts in a serene island setting.
As Sobha Realty enters its next phase of growth, it says it will keep expanding its portfolio of landmark developments across the UAE and international markets, and strengthen relationships with international homebuyers and investors. The stage is set for January. Now comes the part where Abu Dhabi gets its close-up.
