Soccer’s leading lights discuss visions for future of the sport at World Football Summit Asia

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,