2026年数据中心全球预测报告

Forecasts and Insights: Navigating the evolving global datacentre market Foreword The Knight Frank global data centreoutlook for 2026 reveals unprecedentedgrowth and transformation. Acrossthe globe, 33GW of new capacity is tobe delivered to market, representing aCAGR of 24.6%, over the next two years.63% of this growth will be located on theNorth American continent, with Ashburnbeing the key target market for near-termdeployment, where 3.5GW is expected tolaunch during 2026 and 2027. Europe willfollow its existing trajectory, expanding ata CAGR of 17.8% over the forecast period,with a key theme being the continueddivergence of capacity away fromtraditional core metropolitan areas as AIdemand takes its foothold in Europe. TheMiddle East will see the most dramaticgrowth over the coming two years, withan annual growth rate of 62.5%, driven bythe first phase energisations of multiplegigawatt-scale campuses across SaudiArabia and the UAE. Whilst the APACregion will see renewed hyperscale-interest following the rescinding oftemporary international roadblocks, suchas the previous AI Diffusion Framework. a structural shift toward large-scale,AI-optimised campuses and smallerinference-focused facilities in proximityto metropolitan areas. Growth is faster spreading beyondtraditional hubs and into secondarymarkets – such as Johor, Bangkok, theMiddle East, and the Nordics – due tosupply constraints and power availabilityin core regions. Power economics arebecoming critical in site selection,especially as AI workloads demandmassive energy resources. Regionsoffering competitive and renewablepower pricing will attract the mostsignificant deployments. STEPHEN BEARDGLOBAL HEAD OF DATA CENTRESDEVELOPMENT & INVESTMENT However, this growth will not bewithout its challenges. High initialdevelopment costs for AI-readyfacilities will strain liquidity and requiresophisticated financing structures.Single-asset transactions remain illiquid,and investors face pressure to managecapital efficiently while mitigatingtenant credit risk, especially withnewer neo-cloud providers lacking longcredit histories. Furthermore, rapid technologicalevolution raises concerns aboutadaptability should tenants vacate.Facilities with lower redundancy orlimited flexibility risk becoming strandedassets. Additionally, aspirationalannouncements – 14GW in MENA –could lead to oversupply versus realisticdemand – c.5GW – creating volatility andpotential underutilisation. The sector is maturing, particularly inAsia and Europe, with increased capitalrecycling and the emergence of REITsand infrastructure-focused financingmodels. Investors are concentratingon established operators withscalable pipelines, and platform-leveltransactions are favoured over single-asset deals. This institutionalisationreflects growing confidence and positionsthe market for consolidation andstrategic partnerships. Contents This forecast report provides keyinsight into market-by-market growthexpectations, explores the key trendstransforming the data centre industryand examines their impact on capacityacross major global markets. Theinterplay between power availability,regulatory shifts, and technologicaladvancements is becoming increasinglycomplex. Understanding how theseforces interact will be essential fornavigating the sector effectively. The global race to build AI capabilityis continuing to reshape the data centrelandscape. Markets are pivoting fromtraditional cloud deployments to AI-firstinfrastructure, with hyperscale and neo-cloud providers driving demand for high-density, GPU-centric facilities – such aswith Abu Dhabi’s 5GW AI campus andEurope’s continued drive of integrating100,000-GPU clusters. This trend signals PAGE 4GLOBALFORECASTS PAGE 10TECHNICALINSIGHTS PAGE 6REGIONALINSIGHTS Global Forecasts Live IT Capacity (MW) Regional Insights EUROPE and cooling solutions, with gridconstraints posing a significantchallenge. Growth in FLAP-Dmarkets is expected to accelerate,with Madrid and Milan close behind,while large out-of-metro AI campusesare gaining momentum. The UK’sAI Growth Zone initiative, launchedin late 2025, faces potential hurdlesfrom rising power costs andpermitting delays. APAC OSCAR MATTHEWSPARTNER FRED FITZALAN-HOWARDHEAD OF DATA CENTRES, APAC The most disruptive trend is therise of neo-cloud providers suchas Coreweave, Nebius, Nscale,and Fluidstack, offering verticallyintegrated, GPU-centric solutionsthat challenge hyperscale dominance.Coreweave alone is projected to investUS$30 billion in 2026, supported bya US$55 billion backlog. However,these providers introduce new tenantcounterparty risks. Despite strongbacklogs and partnerships, thelimited credit history compared tohyperscalers like AWS or Microsoftmakes some operators cautious,which could lead to consolidationas the market matures. In 2026, Europe’s data centrelandscape will continue to undergoa major transformation to meetincreased demand for generative AIand high-performance computing