RIYADH: The World Football Summit kicked off on Monday in Riyadh, promising to be a key gathering for shaping the future of football in the Gulf Cooperation Council region and beyond.
Running from Dec. 2-3 with the participation of leading figures from the football world, the summit comes ahead of FIFA鈥檚 official announcement of 黑料社区 as host of the 2034 World Cup, expected on Dec. 11.
The WFS Asia 2024 in Riyadh follows on from the first WFS held last year in Jeddah, which saw two days of discussions, strategic networking, and the acceleration of business and sports opportunities.
This year鈥檚 summit is expected to welcome more than 2,000 attendees, according to the Saudi Press Agency.
Participants will discuss various topics related to football development, including the integration of football technology and innovation in fan engagement, the development of sports tourism and sustainability in football, the growth of women鈥檚 football, and youth development programs.
The lineup of industry leaders taking part includes Hammad Albalawi, the Saudi FIFA聽World Cup聽2034聽bid head; Omar Mugharbel, Saudi Pro League CEO; Mauricio Macri, former Argentine president and FIFA executive chairman; Esteve Calzada, CEO of Al-Hilal; Monika Staab, SAFF women鈥檚 football technical director; James Bisgrove, CEO of Al-Qadsia Club; La Liga President Javier Tebas; and Juventus CMO Mike Armstrong.
Other representatives from premier football organizations include UEFA, the Saudi Pro League, Serie A, and clubs such as Manchester United and Al-Nassr, who will also contribute to discussions that will take place over the two-days.
鈥淲FS Asia 2024 represents a crucial milestone in the evolution of football business in the GCC region,鈥 said Jan Alessie, co-founder and director at World Football Summit.
鈥淏y bringing together the industry鈥檚 most influential voices in Riyadh, we are not just hosting an event 鈥 we are creating a platform that will accelerate the next chapter of football鈥檚 growth. The caliber of participants and the depth of discussions planned reflect our commitment to fostering meaningful dialogue and partnerships that will impact the entire football world.鈥
SAFF President Yasser Al-Misehal welcomed the guests to the conference, highlighting the significant progress the Kingdom is experiencing in hosting global sports events, supported by the Saudi leadership鈥檚 backing of the sports sector along with the Ministry of Sports.
He said that the WFS reflects the SAFF鈥檚 ongoing efforts to contribute to the advancement of football-related businesses that serve the global standing of Saudi football.
The summit鈥檚 agenda features panels such as 鈥満诹仙缜檚 growing importance in World Football鈥 and 鈥淥ne nation, one dream: The FIFA World Cup 2034 bid journey to success.鈥
Notably, the Saudi bid to host the FIFA World Cup 2034 has received a rating of 419.8 out of 500, the highest technical rating ever given to a file submitted to host the event, the federation said.
FIFA鈥檚 announcement came ahead of the federation鈥檚 general assembly on Dec. 11 to decide which countries would host the 2030 and 2034 World Cups, the Saudi Press Agency reported early on Saturday.
On July 29, a Saudi delegation led by Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki bin Faisal, minister of sport and president of the Saudi Olympic and Paralympic Committee, and Al-Misehal officially submitted the Kingdom鈥檚 bid book to host the FIFA World Cup 2034 at a ceremony hosted in Paris, France.
Last October, a FIFA delegation arrived in the Kingdom to review the details of the bid. As proposed, 48 teams will be participating at venues in one country for the first time in history.
