Flagship football industry event, the World Football Forum 2016, will take place in Paris on 7-8 July, – ahead of the UEFA Euro 2016 final.
The 4th annual World Football Forum will be the key event for the key players of the global football industry: the personalities who guide, influence and govern the world’s game.
The central theme of the World Football Forum in 2016 is the ‘New Geography of Football’ – the high-growth new markets for the international game.
China, whose football-loving President Xi has prioritised the development of the domestic game, and in doing so is unlocking a vast new market, is leading the pack of emerging football powerhouses of the 21st Century.
However, China will not be the only story at WFF 2016 – the journey through the new geography of the world’s favourite game will uncover other high-growth new markets for football, where the globalisation of football is being felt just as strongly – from the upcoming FIFA World Cup™ Host Nations Russia and Qatar, through India and South-East Asia, and across the African continent and the Americas.
With delegates from South Africa, Bhutan, Brunei, China, India, nations from across the Gulf, the Middle East and North Africa, as well as sports executives from North and South America, joining senior representatives from the traditional European football heartlands, more countries than ever before will be taking part in WFF 2016 in Paris.
Governing bodies, regional confederations, national FAs and clubs from across the globe will gather with the leading players from the football industry to explore the new geography of football.
Speakers: FIFA and UEFA representatives, Simon Chadwick, Class of ’92 Professor of Sports Enterprise, Salford University; Zhang Xing, Deputy Controller, CCTV Sports ; Wang Dong, Vice President, Ali Sports;, Ma Guoli, Vice Chairman, Le Sports ; Fu Qiang, Executive GM, China Fortune Football Club; Feng Tao, CEO, Shankai Sports, Mark Goddard, General Manager, FIFA TMS , Richard Lamb, International Business Director, F.C. International Milano; Sunando Dhar, I-League CEO;, Kushal Das, General Secretary AIFF (All India Football Federation); Khalifa Al Haroon, Executive Director, Marketing and Communications, Qatar Stars League; Mushtaq Al Waeli, Executive Director, Strategic and Institutional Development, Qatar Football Association and Acting Executive Director, Josoor Institute and the others.
