World Football Summit Asia 2024 (WFS Asia 24) (www.WorldFootballSummit.com) concluded today at the King Abdullah Financial District (KAFD) in Riyadh, marking the end of a transformative two-day summit that has redefined the landscape of football business in Saudi Arabia and the entire GCC region. WFS, which counted on the Saudi Arabian Football Federation and the Saudi Pro League as Institutional Partners, successfully brought together over 2,000 industry leaders from over 70 countries, establishing itself as a cornerstone platform for football's development in alignment with Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 and its goal of increasing sports sector contribution to 2.5-3% of national GDP.
Event Highlights
The summit addressed crucial themes aligned with Vision 2030:
- The role football and sport will play in redefining the economy of The KSA
- Saudi Arabia's ambition to become a leading football hub, and hosting the best FIFA World Cup in 2034
- The impact of technology across performance and fan engagement
- Sustainable development initiatives in football infrastructure
- Women's football development programs and commitments
- Youth development frameworks and best practices
- The role of Sports in driving tourism initiatives
The second day of the event kept the momentum from the first day and witnessed a star-studded line-up of speakers which included Turki bin Oudah (RCRC), Hammad Albalawi (2034 FIFA World Cup Bid Unit), Mauricio Macri (Former Argentinian President) Tim Leiweke (Oak View Group), Romeo Jozak (SAFF), Omar Mugharbel (Saudi Pro League), or football players like Yannick Carrasco.
The ambition to host the 2034 FIFA Men's World Cup was one of the main topics of discussion. Hammad Albalawi, Head of the 2034 WC Bid Unit, shared: “Ambition, Vision and Leadership are the pillars to achieve significant results.”
Hosting the major football tournament on the planet goes beyond sports, as it is considered a key priority of The KSA as a country. Precisely on that topic, former Argentinian President Mauricio Macri, who also led Boca Juniors through a period of remarkable success, encouraged the country to share more about their culture, community, and capabilities through football.
The summit has attracted participation from major football rights holders, including UEFA, LALIGA, Serie A, and prestigious clubs such as Al-Nassr, Al-Ittihad, Al-Hilal, Juventus, AC Milan, FC Internazionale, Paris Saint Germain, Newcastle United, Tottenham Hotspur, and Manchester United.
Similarly, decision-makers from global brands including Turkish Airlines, Nike, Pepsico, Meltwater, TikTok, Deloitte, Roland Berger, PwC, The FBA, Radisson Hotel Group, Nielsen, ATOS, and Saudi businesses and institutions such as MACE, SMC, SCAI, and The PIF, were in attendance, bringing diverse perspectives that will lead to business opportunities resulting in an enhanced professionalization of the sports industry.
Jan Alessie, Co-Founder and Director at World Football Summit, reflected on the summit's success: "The conclusion of WFS in Saudi Arabia marks not just the end of an event, but the beginning of a new chapter in football's evolution. The unprecedented engagement and transformative discussions we've witnessed in Riyadh demonstrate that the center of gravity in global football is shifting. We've laid the groundwork for innovations that will reshape how we experience, consume, and develop football across The KSA, the GCC region and beyond.”
WFS Honors 2024 Winners
The summit culminated with the prestigious Diriyah WFS Honors ceremony, recognizing excellence across the football industry. The event was celebrated in the beautiful city of Diriyah, a world-class cultural suburb, and the birthplace of the Saudi state. Such a perfect landmark was first-class witness of those who received the prestigious awards, which included:
- WFS Honor for Innovation in Sport to Sela
- WFS Honor for Grassroots Development to the Misk Foundation & Riyadh Schools
- WFS Honor for Pioneering Women’s Football success to Monika Staab
- WFS Honor for Impactful Social Change in Football to Abdullah Alothaim
- WFS Honor for Excellence in Next-Gen football development to O15 Academy - Khalid Al Olayan
- WFS Honor for Best Content Creator to Abdullah Alayyadah (Where is Messi)
- WFS Honor for Championing Maternal Health to FC Mother
Looking Ahead
Building on the success of this event, World Football Summit proudly announced plans for expanded programming in the coming year:
- Women’s Football Summit
- WFS Rabat
- WFS Monterrey
- WFS Hong Kong
- WFS Madrid
- WFS Riyadh
Marian Otamendi, CEO at World Football Summit, reflected: “We could not be more excited for what 2025 can bring and the opportunities our events around the world will generate. Our ambition is to create the largest community of football industry professionals in the world, accelerate business opportunities around the sport, and be the catalyst of solid professional relationships that lead to a more professional and inclusive football industry.”
For more information on these events, please visit www.WorldFootballSummit.com.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of World Football Summit.
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Jaime Dominguez
Communications Director,
World Football Summit
press@worldfootballsummit.com
About World Football Summit:
World Football Summit is the premier platform for the football industry, hosting events that bring together the most influential professionals in the sport to address its most pressing issues and generate business opportunities.
