WFS Asia 2024 Marks Historic Milestone In Global Football Evolution
World Football Summit Asia 2024 (WFS Asia 24) concluded at the King Abdullah Financial District (KAFD) in Riyadh, marking the end of a transformative two-day summit.
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 Saudi Arabia’s 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 host 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 discussion topics.
Hammad Albalawi, Head of the 2034 WC Bid Unit, shared: “Ambition, Vision, and Leadership are the pillars to achieve significant results.”
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 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 The PIF, MACE, SMC, and SCAI, 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 centre 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.”
