Pranav Hotkar
LONDON, United Kingdom - March 4, 2026 - Digital Realty has entered the Portuguese market with the acquisition of a data center facility in Lisbon, expanding its Southern European presence and reinforcing connectivity infrastructure linking Europe with global digital routes.
The company said the facility in Lisbon will support up to 2.4 MW of IT capacity and is already connected to multiple network providers, positioning the site as an interconnection hub for regional and international data traffic.
Portugal has emerged as a strategic location for digital infrastructure due to its growing concentration of subsea cable landings linking Europe with North America, South America, Africa, and Asia. Lisbon in particular is increasingly viewed as an Atlantic gateway for global connectivity.
According to Digital Realty, the facility is located close to cable landing stations in Carcavelos, allowing it to support subsea cable termination equipment and deliver low-latency connectivity for international networks.
Chris Sharp, Chief Technology Officer at Digital Realty, said the move strengthens the company’s ability to serve global customers through strategic interconnection hubs.
“Lisbon represents a strategic entry point for global connectivity and provides a natural bridge between Europe, Africa, and the Americas,” Sharp said in the company’s announcement.
The expansion also complements Digital Realty’s broader infrastructure platform across Europe and Africa. The company currently operates facilities in African markets, including Accra, Lagos, and Cape Town, enabling growing digital corridors between the two regions.
Digital Realty said the Lisbon facility is expected to be ready for service in early 2027, with additional development planned to expand capacity as demand for cloud and AI-driven infrastructure continues to grow.
The Portugal entry builds on the company’s existing footprint in Spain. Digital Realty currently operates four data centers in Madrid and is preparing to launch a new facility in Barcelona in mid-2026, creating an interconnected platform across the Iberian Peninsula.
With more than 16 subsea cables landing in the Lisbon region, industry analysts increasingly view the city as a key node in global data exchange, enabling faster data flows between Europe, Africa, and the Americas.
As cloud providers, AI platforms, and digital services expand globally, infrastructure operators are positioning facilities near major cable landing points to support low-latency intercontinental connectivity, a trend that Lisbon is rapidly benefiting from.
