Expert speakers and leaders gather at World Football Summit Asia in Jeddah

JEDDAH: The second World Football Summit Asia kicked off on Tuesday in Jeddah, bringing together key decision-makers from the global football industry, with in excess of 1,000 attendees representing more than 70 countries in the first event of its kind in the country.

The two-day summit is scheduled to coincide with the FIFA Club World Cup, which is being held in Jeddah from Dec. 12 to Dec. 22.

The summit, on its first day, featured notable speakers, sports figures and football industry professionals including Adwa Al-Arifi, Saudi Arabia’s assistant minister of sports affairs, Prof. Muhammad Yunus, Nobel Peace Prize recipient, and Datuk Seri Windsor Paul John, general-secretary at the Asian Football Confederation.

In her opening remarks, Adwa Al-Arifi highlighted the Kingdom’s growing influence as a global sports powerhouse.

Al-Arifi hailed Saudi Arabia’s transformation into a global sports hub, evident in its successful hosting of international sporting events and its ability to attract world-renowned stars across various disciplines.

Later, on the side of the opening day, Adwa Al-Arifi joined Hammad Albalawi, adviser to Saudi Arabia’s 2034 FIFA World Cup Bid and Michael Emenalo, Saudi Pro League director of football and head of the Player Acquisition Center of Excellence, for a panel discussion on “Saudi Arabia 2034: Football revolutionary moment in time.” The panel was moderated by Ali Khalid, Arab News’ sports editor.

During the discussion, Albalawi highlighted the role of sport in the Kingdom’s transformation under Vision 2030.

“Through strategic investments in infrastructure and grassroots programs, the country is also fostering a football ecosystem that promotes talent development and nurtures a deep