JEDDAH: The football industry is entering an era of change and more than 1,400 delegates from more than 70 countries gathered in Jeddah this week at the second World Football Summit Asia to sketch out a new vision and new horizons for its development in a professional and sustainable way.
The two-day event, which concluded on Wednesday and marked the first time an event of its kind has taken place in the Kingdom, brought together leading figures from the worlds of football and sports in general, including officials from Saudi sports governing bodies, other institutions and international football clubs, in addition to representatives from the business sector.
Hosting the event aligned with Saudi Arabia’s strategic vision to enhance its presence on the global sports stage and showcase its current influence in global football. As Jeddah became the temporary capital of the football world, key decision-makers from clubs, leagues, federations and brands discussed ways to shape the future of the beautiful game.
The agenda offered a complete view of the sport through topics such as the secrets of successful fan engagement, fan-involvement mechanisms, the multi-club ownership model, the growth of women’s football as a major sport, the adoption of sustainability as a priority for sports properties, and much more besides.
Notable speakers on day two included Ralf Reichert, the CEO of the Esports World Cup Foundation; Miguel Angel Gil, CEO of Atletico Madrid; Tony Douglas, CEO of Riyadh Air; former player-turned-entrepreneur Patrice Evra; and football legend Clarence Seedorf.
Other delegates included executives from companies such as Aramco, Riyadh Air, Snapchat and Radisson Hotel Group, football institutions such as FIFA, Serie A, LaLiga, the Bundesliga and FIFPro, and clubs including Al-Nassr, Chelsea, Juventus, Bayer Leverkusen, Atletico Madrid.
Panel discussions that included participants such as Guido Fienga, the CEO of Al-Nassr, and Carlo Nohra, the chief commercial officer of the Roshn Saudi League, discussed the curiosity and wonder throughout the football ecosystem about the role the Saudi league will play in the future of the sport.
“Saudi is a talented nation and now we need to teach young players to play with self-confidence,” said Romeo Jozak of the Saudi Arabian Football Federation.
Javier Tebas, the president of LaLiga, said: “To create a top-tier football league you need to invest in more than just star players. Investing in growing the brand, in broadcasting to reach new fans, and enabling commercial partnerships for the league and its clubs is equally important.”
Above all, it was evident during the event that there was a willingness among the main stakeholders to talk and connect with each other to create a better football together.
“The truth is that this summit has surpassed all of our initial expectations,” said Jan Alessie, the co-founder and director of the World Football Summit.
“The curiosity, excitement, and ambition to create a better football industry was palpable from the opening ceremony and I look forward to seeing how the exceptional leaders that have participated in this first edition of WFS Asia in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia engage to connect a football industry we are proud to champion.
“From what I have seen and the conversations I have had, I am sure this has been the first of many WFS Asia in the country.”
