Brummies love a natter. But it’s not just the locals chatting about Birmingham anymore. For the past eight years, the London-based PR firm ING has compiled an annual ranking of the visibility of Europe’s cities on digital news and social media platforms. The Second City is on the rise as one of the most talked-about European cities of 2026.
But Birmingham is not the only second-tier city on the rise this year. Across the continent, second cities are “demonstrating big shifts in how places are talked about and discovered”—including Porto, Hamburg and Milan. In fact, more than half of the 10 fastest climbers in this year’s ranking are second cities.
Why is this happening?
According to ING, this rise for second cities not only shows that economic activity is spreading beyond capitals, and that residents and visitors alike are increasingly looking beyond the obvious destinations, but that international media is seeking “clear, relatable case studies.”
A second city’s ability to “expand, evolve and refresh their reputations” means they can “more readily generate new narratives that illustrate wider trends” compared to Europe’s major cities that find it “far harder to shift long-held perceptions.”
Where is Birmingham among the most talked-about cities in Europe?
Birmingham finished 27th overall among the most talked-about cities in Europe—finishing far behind Paris in 1st, London in 2nd and Madrid in 3rd. But climbing two spots from last year, that makes it the joint 5th fastest-rising city in this year’s rankings.
ING says: “Birmingham is the UK’s youngest and most diverse major city, and that profile feeds a cultural scene that is far more vibrant than its national visibility often suggests. Major city centre reconfiguration, new public spaces and better‑integrated transport are bold signals of intent and momentum to the outside world.
“This energy sits alongside a well-defined civic identity: being “Brummie” is rooted in pride, resilience and a long lineage of creativity. The passing of Ozzy Osbourne, one of Birmingham’s most globally recognised and beloved figures, brought that identity into sharp focus in 2025.
“With the city council now back on a stable financial footing, and HS2 coming down the track, Birmingham is presenting itself more clearly as a place of ambition and collective purpose, and conversations about the city increasingly reflect that shift.”
To read more about ING’s Europe’s most talked about cities 2026, head here.