Leading property adviser CBRE NI and global professional services firm Turner & Townsend have formally launched United By Sport, a new multi-stakeholder group designed to maximise the regeneration benefits of sports infrastructure across Northern Ireland.

Senior figures from the Irish FA, Ulster GAA, Ulster Rugby, Athletics NI, and the Northern Ireland Football League attended the inaugural session. The opening meeting set out to create a forum for stakeholders to shape how the region captures the community and economic gains of sports-led regeneration.

Held at Custom House in Belfast, the meeting featured a presentation from Graham Fitzgerald, the Irish FA's Chief Operating Officer. He outlined the governing body's proposed National Football Centre at Galgorm, focusing on its development, expected impact, and potential to act as a catalyst for wider growth.

Delegates also heard from Robert Woodley, Sports Lead for Programme Advisory at Turner & Townsend, who has overseen United By Sport initiatives in the North-East of England and the Midlands. He shared the progress achieved in those areas alongside lessons relevant to Northern Ireland. Robert Ditty, Executive Director at CBRE NI, said: "Following the success of the programme delivered regionally in England through our partners Turner & Townsend, CBRE NI is proud to launch United By Sport in Northern Ireland. The level of engagement between the sports bodies at the first meeting demonstrated the appetite that exists for greater collaboration across sport, government and industry.

"We believe Northern Ireland has a significant opportunity to use sport as a platform for regeneration – from attracting inward investment and tourism to supporting local jobs, improving public spaces and creating long-term benefits for communities. United By Sport is intended to help turn that potential into a coordinated long-term strategy."

Plans for United By Sport were first signposted at CBRE NI's Outlook 2026 event in January, where sports-led regeneration was identified as a major long-term economic opportunity for Northern Ireland.

Robert Woodley, Sports Lead for Programme Advisory at Turner & Townsend, added: "One of the key lessons from the United By Sport initiative already operating in England is that meaningful regeneration happens when organisations work collectively around a shared long-term vision. Bringing together sporting bodies, local authorities, advisors and government creates a much stronger foundation for delivering impactful and investable projects.

"Northern Ireland already has many of the ingredients required to deliver transformational sports-led regeneration. The establishment of United By Sport provides an important opportunity to help turn ambition into deliverable outcomes."