Champions of Change: The UK’s Most Talked About Cities 2026
How the UK’s fastest rising cities are owning their narratives and chasing visibility
The UK’s cities are entering a defining period, as structural reform and new technologies reshape how places are seen, compared and understood.
A wave of governance change, from new combined authorities to local government reorganisation, is altering how cities present themselves to the world. At the same time, generative AI is transforming how cities are searched, interpreted and referenced, increasing the visibility of places that can clearly represent wider national debates.
ING’s annual analysis of digital visibility shows that change is now a prerequisite for visibility, but not a guarantee of it. To translate into attention, change must be clearly articulated, easy to understand and anchored in a compelling narrative.
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The 10 fastest-rising cities in this year’s ranking
This year’s biggest climbers highlight how visibility is being reshaped across the UK:
These cities all demonstrate a consistent pattern: visible change, supported by a clear narrative and amplified by defining moments of attention.
VISIBILITY IS DRIVEN BY CHANGE, NARRATIVE AND MOMENTS
The research identifies a clear formula for growing city visibility:
Change: visible transformation happening on the ground
Narrative: a story that makes that change understandable
Catalyst: moments that concentrate attention, such as investments, events or milestones
Cities that combine all three are rising fastest. Those that don’t, risk stagnation, even where change is taking place.
THREE TYPES OF CHANGE ARE SHAPING CITY VISIBILITY
As cities are increasingly compared and summarised, both by media and AI, certain types of change are more likely to be picked up and reused:
Governance
Changes to leadership, powers and geography create clear, repeatable narratives that are easy for media and audiences to reference. Several of this year’s fastest-rising cities are linked to new or evolving combined authorities.
Policy
Cities aligned with national priorities, from housing to energy transition, are more likely to feature in wider debates, increasing their visibility even where change is gradual.
Culture
Cultural events and programmes remain one of the most powerful ways to concentrate attention. In 2024–25, more than half of all conversations about cities were linked to culture.
VISIBILITY IN THE RIGHT PLACES IS KEY
The UK’s fastest-rising cities are not just increasing overall visibility, they are becoming more prominent in the sources that shape how cities are understood.
Two dynamics stand out:
Influential media coverage: The majority of fast-rising cities increased their share of coverage in highly trusted outlets, which are increasingly prioritised by generative AI.
International reach: Many are also maintaining or growing their share of overseas coverage, helping to extend their visibility to global audiences.
Together, these trends are strengthening the ability of UK cities to compete internationally, with overall visibility rising faster than the European average.
What does this mean for your city?
The report highlights six priorities for city leaders, investment agencies and place-branding teams:
Make change visible and easy to understand
Build a clear, consistent narrative
Create moments that concentrate attention
Align with national and global policy conversations
Work as part of wider city networks and coalitions
Define clearly the geography and identity you are promoting
Cities that succeed will be those that translate change into a story that travels across media, platforms and AI systems alike.
To get in touch and discuss what this means for your own communications, please contact Lucie Murray, Head of Cities at ING: lucie.murray@ing-media.com
For exclusive research, events and knowledge sharing, join our Visible Cities Network.
ING’s investigation into the UK’s Most Talked About Cities (2026) covers 50 cities and ranks them by digital mentions in 2025. These mentions originate from online news, ‘X’, LinkedIn, TikTok, forums, blogs, Reddit, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, Twitch, comments, reviews and Pinterest, across 12 of the world’s most widely spoken languages. Mentions containing sports, in particular football, have been limited.
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