WFS speakers

Industry Awards 2020TW

WFS Industry Awards now open to applications until 18 October

WFS Industry Awards now open to applications until 18 October 2333 1313 WFS Live

This year’s WFS Industry Awards are now open to applications and will take place virtually at WFS Live on Friday, 27 November.

With applications now open, the deadline for submissions is 18 October.

The WFS Industry Awards were created exactly to acknowledge and reward the achievements of executives, managers, sponsors, agencies, media, NGOs and so many other professionals whose talent, passion and dedication help make football the world’s greatest game and a thriving industry.

Since the inception of the WFS Industry Awards in 2017, the ceremony has been a part of World Football Summit’s annual congress in Madrid.

Unfortunately, this year the event has been suspended due to the Covid-19 pandemic, but there are even more reasons to celebrate the work of the industry.

During the past months football has faced the biggest challenge of its history – one that is being overcome thanks to the talent, commitment and brilliant work of outstanding professionals.

This year they deserve to be rewarded more than ever, and with the invaluable support of our partners we are committed to doing so, and that is why we have decided to maintain the WFS Industry Awards.

The winners of each category will then be announced on 16 November and they will have the chance to be interviewed on our digital stage in a 20-minute session that will be part of the WFS Live Conference Programme.

There are also two new categories to make sure all professionals have the chance to join our Hall of Fame: Best Digital Platform and Outstanding Innovation Initiative.

As such, the WFS Industry Awards 2020 categories read as follows:

You can find information on how to participate, HERE.

10 reasons why you can’t miss football’s biggest global gathering

10 reasons why you can’t miss football’s biggest global gathering 2048 1365 WFS Live

WFS Live is only a week away. The global online event that will gather top industry leaders across the globe to discuss the key issues affecting the sport and the business of football will kick off on Monday, July 6th with around 3,000 industry professionals tuning-in from their homes and offices all over the world.

If you’re still doubting whether or not to attend, here are 10 reasons that should help you make up your mind:

1. Hear from a unique speaker lineup featuring 100+ top industry leaders such as:

Gianni Infantino, President of FIFA
Sir Martin Sorrell, Executive Chairman of S4 Capital
– Javier Tebas, President of LaLiga
Ronaldo Nazario, President of Real Valladolid
Iker Casillas, World Champions (2010)
– Didier Drogba, Football Legend

 

2. Enjoy unmatchable interaction opportunities

Don’t just listen to the speakers, engage with them through:

  • Live questions
  • Polls
  • Group chats 

3. Participate in 30+ live panels covering the most relevant topics such as:

  • The aftermath of Covid-19
  • The future of sponsorships in sports
  • The growth of the women’s game
  • Stadium management in a post-pandemic world
  • Athletes becoming conscious activists
    And much more!

4. Globalise your network by accessing our list of attendees

Around 3,000 industry professionals from around the world will be participating at this truly global gathering.

5. Connect with 100+ global leading brands and properties such as:

6. Maximise your time using our AI-driven matchmaking software

Make sure you connect with your targeted stakeholders and arrange one-on-one meetings in advance.

7. Accelerate your business opportunities

Generate a full database of potential leads.

8. Boost your ROI

By cutting travel and accommodation costs.

9. Meet new brands and exciting startups at the WFS Live Virtual Expo Area

Academic institutions, federations, media, streaming platforms, techies and much more!

10. Help tackle the effects of Covid-19 on vulnerable communities

All net proceeds generated by WFS Live will be donated to Common Goal and Fundação Fenômenos.

Trio of stellar speakers announced: Ronaldo, Sir Martin Sorrell and Javier Tebas

Trio of stellar speakers announced: Ronaldo, Sir Martin Sorrell and Javier Tebas 620 413 WFS Live

Ronaldo Nazário, Javier Tebas and Sir Martin Sorrell are the first three speakers to be announced for WFS Live powered by Octagon, the pioneering virtual event that will bring the global football industry together from July 6th to 9th. With the coronavirus pandemic having shaken up the industry, WFS is going virtual for what is set to be the largest online business event in the football industry and the first one to gather all the major leaders together in one place.

  • Ronaldo Nazário is currently the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Real Valladolid and has been since September of 2018. Before that, he became one of the beautiful game’s most iconic players ever by winning the World Cup with Brazil in 1994 and 2002, as well as three FIFA World Player of the Year and two Ballon d’Or awards. Given that he has also been an ambassador for the United Nations in the fight against poverty, Ronaldo is expertly placed to talk about so many of the issues facing the world of football and the world in general right now.
  • Sir Martin Sorrell is the Executive Chairman of S4 Capital, a digital advertising and marketing business that has over 2,400 employees in 30 countries, with a market capitalisation of over $1.2 billion. Sir Martin was also CEO of WPP for 33 years, building it from a £1 million “shell” company in 1985 into the world’s largest advertising and marketing services company. When Sir Martin left in April 2018, WPP had a market capitalisation of over £16 billion, revenues of over £15 billion, profits of approximately £2 billion and over 200,000 people in 113 countries. Put simply, he is one of the most respected minds in the advertising industry, a field that faces so much uncertainty at this time of crisis.
  • Javier Tebas is another influential figure in the football industry, having been the President of LaLiga since 2013 and having served on the boards of several national and international associations. As the leader of an organisation that has grown from 35 employees to approximately 600 members of staff and one that has increased its clubs’ audiovisual turnover to the €1.5 billion mark, Tebas knows the ins and outs of the modern football industry like few others. He has also been steering LaLiga through the coronavirus crisis in a commendable manner and is able to offer unique insight at these unprecedented times.

While the speakers at WFS Live will be discussing a wide range of topics, there will of course be particular focus on the challenges and the opportunities that will arise as a result of COVID-19. As the Conference Concept outlines, there will be discussion of how this crisis will affect all in the industry, from right holders to broadcasters to sponsors to scouting and player development departments to those working in the transfer market and beyond.

WFS Live by Octagon will have all the features that make WFS events the largest and most appreciated, with top speakers and premium networking at the crux of the conference. Interaction will be a key aspect of this get-together, with the technology being used allowing for extra-efficient networking between attendees and a truly global reach, while the keynote speeches will also remain at the heart of the summit. Ronaldo Nazário, Javier Tebas and Sir Martin Sorrell are just the first trio of speakers to be announced, but WFS Live has already confirmed other top names from across the industry’s various sectors and these will be revealed over the coming weeks.

Tickets are already on sale at the WFS Live website for a unique price of 40 euros. With WFS determined to help the communities that have been most severely hit by the coronavirus crisis, all net proceeds will be donated to the Common Goal COVID-19 Response Fund and Fundação Fenômenos.

LaLiga and Johan Cruyff Institute join WFS Live as official partners

LaLiga and Johan Cruyff Institute join WFS Live as official partners 1617 1365 WFS Live

LaLiga and Johan Cruyff Institute will be partners of WFS Live powered by Octagon, the online summit that will bring football’s biggest names together from July 6-9 to address the impact of the COVID-19 crisis on the global football industry and the challenges and opportunities that will arise in this new and unprecedented scenario.

Both brands have a long-lasting and fruitful relationship with WFS. They’ve been a part of every summit since 2016, and have helped produce some of the most memorable moments, fostering insightful discussions and bringing top leaders to the stage.

LaLiga, Spain’s top tier, is one of the world’s most popular sports competitions, with a global audience of over 2,7 billion and more than 100 million followers across social media platforms. It’s powered by the likes of Real Madrid or FC Barcelona, two of the biggest clubs in the world, but as its slogan says –it’s not football, it’s LaLiga– it has become much more than a sport competition. It is a global reference in innovation. Initiatives like #LaLigaSantanderChallenge (a virtual FIFA20 competition involving real football players) or #LaLigamusicfest (an online music festival that brought together athletes and musicians) are just two of the latest examples of its cutting edge approach to fan engagement and digital content.

Johan Cruyff pictured with a group of graduates from the Johan Cruyff Institute.

Johan Cruyff Institute, who joins as Academic Partner, is an academic institution specialising in educating athletes, sport and business professionals to become leaders in sport management. More than 9,000 students from all over the world have experienced their online, onsite and on campus learning programs in Sport Management, Sport Marketing, Sponsorship, Coaching and Football Business. Edwin van der Sar (current CEO of Ajax), Michael Reiziger or Gianluca Vialli are among their alumni. Founded by Johan Cruyff, one of the game’s biggest legends, it currently runs institutes in Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, Mexico and Peru.

“We are delighted to have two leaders such as LaLiga and Johan Cruyff Institute on board for this new and exciting event. Both have played an important role in the growth of World Football Summit and I’m sure they will continue to do so in this crucial moment, in which we are all facing new challenges”, said Jan Alessie, director of World Football Summit.

Warm up for WFS Live by “Talking Sport” with football’s leading figures

Warm up for WFS Live by “Talking Sport” with football’s leading figures 1342 1065 WFS Live

World Football Summit has partnered with Eleven Sports to launch “Talking Sport”, a new webinar series dedicated to looking at how the sports industry tackles the global pandemic and builds for the future.

The weekly webinar will bring together leading figures from across the world of sport, to share their insights and opinions with the wider industry.

Hosted by Sky Sports presenter David Garrido, Talking Sport will feature a panel of three respected speakers each week from across the sport’s ecosystem. Federations, clubs, media publishers, e-sports platforms, investment experts and commercial partners will all be represented.

The debut episodes will be streamed LIVE and for FREE on Thursday 21 May at 5.30pm (CET time). The session, which is titled Sport’s great comeback – Fighting back from COVID-19, will feature:

  • Luis Vicente – Eleven Sports, CEO.
  • Peter Hutton – Facebook, Director of Sports Partnerships.
  • Ricardo Fort – Coca-Cola, VP, Global Sports & Entertainment Partnerships.
  • Ralf Reichert – ESL, Co-Founder and Co-CEO.
  • Dominic Quantrill – Founder of The Quantrill Partnership – Moderator.

Guests can register to watch the event now HERE.

Eleven Sports Group CEO Luis Vicente said of the series: “Now more than ever, the sports industry needs to walk together and work together to fight for a better future. For many years I have dedicated my professional life to transforming sports for the better and at Eleven Sports, I am proud to lead an organisation with that same missionary zeal.

“Through our new Talking Sport series, we will bring together leading figures from across the world of sport, to share expertise and insights with the wider industry. Our sessions will help to equip us all with the information we need to come through this period stronger than ever. I’m very excited to launch the series on Thursday.”

World Football Summit Director Jan Alessie said of the series: “At World Football Summit our mission is to bring the industry leaders together to network, share knowledge and best practices, and ultimately generate growth opportunities. This has never been as important as it is today due to the impact of the COVID-19 crisis. We are grateful to Eleven Sports and to our long-lasting partner and friend Luis Vicente for sharing their platform and we’re confident that this series will start paving the path to a bright future for the sport and the industry.”

Eleven Sports and World Football Summit will partner for a total of six webinar episodes over the next two months.

Iván Codina (LaLiga), on how the COVID-19 crisis can help football reach the next level

Iván Codina (LaLiga), on how the COVID-19 crisis can help football reach the next level 1665 1189 WFS Live

Over the last few weeks, LaLiga has made a huge effort to keep its fans engaged and to promote its partners worldwide, with a FIFA20 competition involving real LaLiga players representing their clubs (#LaLigaSantanderChallenge), an online festival that brought football and music stars together to raise more than €600,000 to fight coronavirus (#LaLigaMusicFest) and three new TV programmes that allowed the league’s global audience to peak into how players were dealing with the lockdown.

While clubs in Spain resume training ahead of a potential restart of the competition, we talk to its Managing Director in South East Asia, Iván Codina, about the lessons learned while filling the void left by the COVID-19 lockdown and the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead for both the sport and the industry.

Q. Firstly Iván, how are you doing right now and how is the coronavirus affecting you personally and professionally?

A. Well, I’m taking this call from home, like pretty much everyone else nowadays. In Singapore, things have evolved in a difficult way in the past few days. Everybody is already in lockdown at home and the number of cases has been increasing drastically in the past few days. The local government is taking the right measures to try to have COVID-19 under control, so that means that for the time being I’m working from home like everyone else and like all my colleagues. I’m trying to overcome the challenges of working at home with kids running around, but so far so good. In terms of how this is affecting our business, as you can imagine it’s had a massive impact. Right now, we are just trying to have open discussions with all our stakeholders and we are assessing the situation to see how we can best accommodate or overcome this situation altogether.

Q. One of the issues the coronavirus might be revealing is that football perhaps relies too much on live events. Would you agree that this is one of the major challenges the industry is facing in the next few months? And, how is LaLiga tackling this in the Asian market?

A. We consider ourselves as an entertainment company, as in sports and entertainment. So, we live in this space and, for us, it’s no longer just about the 90 minutes on the field of play. The consumption behaviour has been changing drastically in the last few years. The millennials and the youngsters that follow LaLiga are sometimes more interested in other sorts of content other than highlights or what’s going on in the 90 minutes on the field of play. That gives us an opportunity to find different ways to engage with these fans. We focus a lot on what happens before and after and during the week. That’s very important because we have identified a huge increase in demand or appetite for this kind of content. We always try to develop new ways to engage with our existing fans and also to attract other fans that may not necessarily be traditional football fans. We’re always trying to be creative and to identify other content and that’s why our slogan is ‘it’s not football, it’s LaLiga’. We have multiple events and projects that we work on at LaLiga. We’ve also been currently working to also see how we can best support the fight against the current situation. It’s a global crisis. Of course, LaLiga has been coming up with events like #LaLigaSantanderFest or #LaLigaSantanderChallenge. We have been raising funds to support the fight against coronavirus and to be able to buy some medical equipment for the hospitals to be able to fight the coronavirus.

Q. I know that hosting on-site activations together with local partners and broadcasters is a crucial part of LaLiga’s famous ‘glocal’ strategy. So, how do you keep the ball rolling for the clubs now that there’s no action going on?

A. Everybody is being hit one way or another from the coronavirus. It is very important for us to have even better communication with all the different stakeholders than we had up until now. It’s very important to work with the likes of the broadcasters, existing commercial partners and the different leagues that we partner. We’re listening to the fans and seeing how we can all support each other. For us, it’s very important to identify ways in which we keep offering value to the associations we have with our stakeholders. Luckily for us, a partnership with LaLiga is not necessarily just about what happened in the 90 minutes of a live match in Spain. It’s much more than that. So, we’re trying to see how exactly we can develop specific content, depending on the market, that we feel is going to be more engaging for both our fans and for our commercial partners or broadcasters. So, we have been working very closely with our partners in defining what is the best way to engage with our fans. Having said that, we also need to try to be sensitive to what’s going on right now. It’s not necessarily the right time to be seen as being very pushy as you try to promote your brand. Right now, of course it’s okay to continue engaging with your fans and trying to be creative and see what is the best way to come up with relevant content for the market. But also, it needs to be a little bit sensitive.

Q. Are you working on strategies for how to relaunch the league when that eventually happens? I suppose that the Asian market will continue to be crucial since it could be one of the first markets in the world to recover from the crisis.

A. The internationalisation of the league is one of the biggest strategies and objectives right now. We still have a long way to go to grow our brand and our presence in a lot of markets. In this region in particular, we have a lot of room for improvement. I wouldn’t necessarily call it a relaunch. But, that being said, what we’re starting to work on is to try to see what is the best way to make sure that everybody is aware that the competition is resumed when it comes to the right time. As you know, we have a project called LaLiga Global Network where we have over 50 delegates sent across the world, with nine of these delegates in nine different markets in this part of the world. We’re trying to see with them what would be best once the competition is resumed. We’ve been trying to develop ideas and activation plans for the remaining 11 matches. But, again, there’s a lot of uncertainty and also we need to take care and make sure we understand what the situation is in each of the different markets. We can try to send across a message of hope and try to keep people positive. I guess that once we see that football is coming back then probably that will be seen as a message of hope for everyone.

Q. We’ve already seen the economic impact the coronavirus crisis has had on clubs in Europe. What do you think the impact will be on Asian football?

A. Everybody is getting hit, right? And the football industry in particular has massively been hit. We need to understand the ecosystem of the different leagues in the region. We have the more developed leagues such as the Chinese Super League or the J League or K League or even the A League in Australia. Then we have the less developed leagues in South East Asia and other parts of the region. In the more developed leagues, perhaps compared to the top European leagues the impact is a little less because in the top European leagues they are heavily dependent on massive TV broadcasting deals. In these leagues they also depend a lot on broadcasting rights, but it’s not the same proportionally if compared to the top European leagues. A lot of the top clubs depend more on private investment of some of the big local companies and that gives you an idea that the impact might be lessened compared to the top European leagues. Whereas for the less developed leagues in this region, they normally don’t have much revenue coming from sponsorship or TV rights, so it’s still going to be challenging for them. Right now, we’re even looking at leagues that might not even be able to go back next season and they might need to stop for a while. So, it’s a complete disaster. Most of the clubs cannot pay their players, so the situation is a little bit worrying. There are going to be challenging times ahead for them.

Q. What do you think will be the main consequences and challenges in the future for football properties such as LaLiga, as we move forward from this and into the future?

A. It’s very hard to guess what it’s going to be like in the next few months once things start settling down. So much has been said about life as we know it never being the same. I’m sure there are going to be some opportunities and some things that are going to change. It’s difficult to say which. I just can say that those who can be more flexible to adjust to the new circumstances are going to be the ones who are going to make it back and can even look to a brighter future. That’s what we are working on right now. We know it’s going to be a very challenging path, first to try to resume the competition and also there are going to be some circumstances we won’t be familiar with. I particularly think there’s going to be an opportunity to be more creative on digital and with the way that we try to bring the game closer to the fans. Let’s not forget that ultimately there are only a few lucky fans who are able to attend the matches in the stadiums, but there are millions of fans out there that have never had a chance to go and experience the competition live. So, the way we engage with fans all over the world I think will improve due to the current situation. I think it’s going to be a big opportunity to improve on digital and content and be more creative when it comes to engaging with the fans. It’s probably going to be more challenging when it comes to securing partnerships. The rights holder will need to be more creative in coming up with additional value to convince some of the brands out there to look for an association with a league. I think that’s going to be a challenge probably. But, I want to remain positive. Perhaps this is going to be an opportunity to bring the football industry to the next level.  I’m sure that we will overcome this situation and hopefully we will come out stronger and with an even higher proposition for our partners.

The 2020 WFS StartCup by GSIC kicks off!

The 2020 WFS StartCup by GSIC kicks off! 1707 1217 WFS Live

World Football Summit (WFS), in partnership with Global Sports Innovation Center powered by Microsoft (GSIC)are launching the StartCup 2020an international competition that aims to locate the best sportech projects and/or startups with innovative solutions that can impact the sports industry in general, and football in particular. 

In its four previous editions – three in Madrid and one WFS Asia edition in Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) – this competition received more than 800 applications from startups around the world. 30 of them had the opportunity to present their solutions to the world’s industry leaders at World Football Summit, the international reference event of the industry. 

The winners of the first four editions3D Digital VenueThermohumanGameReady and YBVR, respectivelyhave since gained great notoriety in the sportech ecosystem They are currently working with top international sports entities such as LaLiga, NBA, Ligue 1, Australia Open, MLB, MLS, Mutua Madrid Open, Davis Cup, Manchester City, FC Barcelona, Wembley Stadium or Atlético de Madridamong others. 

The jury members of the 2020 WFS StartCup by GSIC.

The call is for projects and/or startups that offer solutions that impact the football particularly and/or sports industry in general in any of the following areas:   

  • Team & player performance
  • Business insights & analytics
  • Smart & immersive facilities 
  • Fan engagement & experience 
  • Media platforms
  • Generation of sponsorship 
  • eSports, emerging sports, virtual currencies & betting
  • Mitigation of pandemics & public health

The call aims to showcase, support, nurture, and train entrepreneurs to transform their projects into successful companies, while improving their projection, growth, and scalability. In addition, this year there is a new feature, as startups are invited to present innovative initiatives aimed at responding to the crisis triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic, which will have multiple and important consequences for the sports industry in the upcoming months. . 

Héctor Prieto, CEO of YBVR, receives the award during WFS18.

“From the GSIC we have created a catalogue of solutions, which is constant update, to help sports entities to mitigate the COVID-19 crisis, but we are convinced that the current situation is a learning experience for everyone and we must have identified the solutions that will help us to be better prepared for this kind of emergencies in the future“, says Iris Córdoba, General Manager at GSIC.  

“Technology plays an essential role in football. In recent years, solutions have been implemented to allow improvements in all areas of sport and industry, some of which have come out of this StartCup. But football must still benefit from technology, especially in the light of the coronavirus crisis. In the upcoming months, sport will have to face some challenges that can only be overcome through technological innovation. At WFS we are proud to be able to contribute by acting as a link between entrepreneurs and industry,” agrees Jan AlessieDirector of WFS. 

The call will be open from May 14 to June 21. The 16 top-ranked proposals will have the opportunity to present their solution to the jury during WFS Live powered by Octagon, a new virtual congress with a global reach that will gather the most important international industry leaders from July 6-9. It will be then when the eight finalists will be selected to make the live pitch at WFS20 (September 23 and 24 in Madrid), where the final winner will be chosen.

CALENDAR 

  • Application opens: May 14, 2020 
  • Application closesJune 21, 2020
  • Selection announcementJune 29, 2020
  • Online pitch at WFS Live: July 9, 2020
  • Finalists announcement: July 27, 2020
  • Live pitch at WFS20: September 23 & 24, 2020 

Click HERE to apply

WFS, Ronaldo and Octagon Brasil join forces to kick off football’s new beginning

WFS, Ronaldo and Octagon Brasil join forces to kick off football’s new beginning 2048 1365 WFS Live

The sport industry is facing its biggest challenge in history due to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. All major competitions have been forced to pause for over two months and it is highly likely some of them will not resume at all, enforcing multi-million losses across the industry. Among others, the UEFA Champions League, the NBA and the NHL have had to postpone their respective plans to restart several times over the last few weeks and it remains uncertain when and under what conditions they will be able to resume. Until a vaccine is available, travel and restrictions on large public gatherings will remain in place all over the world.

This “new normal” will inevitably lead to a significant decrease in some traditional revenue streams, forcing all stakeholders to rethink business models and pursue new opportunities. This will require the industry’s major players to come together and join forces like never before in order to overcome these obstacles and explore new opportunities.

That communal response will begin at WFS Live powered by Octagon – the first virtual event that will bring together the entirety of the global football industry’s leaders in one place. Top executives from clubs, leagues, federations, broadcasters, agencies and sponsorship brands from every continent will band side by side to lay sound foundations for the sport to continue growing into a new era.

“The importance of World Football Summit for the global football industry is irrefutable. I have been to the summit with Real Valladolid and now I am honoured to promote the event with Octagon Brasil.” – Ronaldo Nazário

From the 6-9 July, more than 50 leaders will address crucial issues such as; how to adapt mass events and venues to the new sanitary context, the need to enhance digital tools to further monetise fan engagement, the best strategies to capitalise on the growing eSports industry, and how to develop new non-linear content formats to engage fans and add value to sponsors while competitions are paused.

WFS Live powered by Octagon will include all features that make the WFS Series the largest and most appreciated networking events in the global football landscape, attracting key decision-makers over the years such as Fatma Samoura, Secretary General of FIFA; Andrea Agnelli, Chairman of Juventus and the European Club Association (ECA); Peter Moore, CEO of Liverpool FC; and Javier Tebas, President of LaLiga; as well as leading partners like Amazon, Banco Santander, Budweiser, and Facebook. This time, however, to the top speakers and the premium networking it will add an entire new range of opportunities powered by the latest AI-driven tools, as well as unprecedented participation from a truly global audience.

WFS Live powered by Octagon is the result of a unique partnership between three global benchmarks in the sport industry: World Football Summit, football’s leading networking platform and event organiser; Octagon Brasil, global leader in sports and entertainment management and marketing; and Ronaldo Nazário, one of the best players the game has ever seen, President of Octagon Brasil and owner of LaLiga’s Real Valladolid. Ronaldo is at the forefront of the new wave of young executives storming the industry thanks to both a deep knowledge of the game and their solid training in the field of management and administration.

NET PROCEEDS WILL BE DONATED TO DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS

The importance of World Football Summit for the global football industry is irrefutable. It provides a multi-stakeholder dialogue; encourages networking; fosters discussions about technologies, innovations and the future of that market; and generates business opportunities. I have been to the summit with Real Valladolid and now I am honoured to promote the event with Octagon Brasil. We are in a pandemic scenario and there are many social, economic, cultural and political impacts. Unsurprisingly, football has not escaped the effects of the outbreak and, therefore, the event is even more necessary. WFS Live powered by Octagon have already confirmed the participation of big names in the industry and will have an unprecedented reach-from home, everyone will be able to follow, contribute and enjoy a whole world of possibilities.” – Ronaldo Nazário.

“Combining Octagon’s enormous prestige and unmatchable network, the unrivalled leadership of Ronaldo and our experience hosting and managing events, we are sure that WFS Live powered by Octagon will kick off a new era for football.” – Jan Alessie

WFS Live powered by Octagon aims to contribute to the growth of the industry, but also to help those communities that have been most severely hit by coronavirus. That’s why all net proceeds will be donated to Fundação Fenômenos, created by Ronaldo in 2012, which supports social projects aiming to improve living conditions of communities across Brasil, and the Common Goal COVID-19 Response Fund, which will support community organisations across the world to deliver essential services during the COVID-19 crisis and to continue supporting vulnerable young people in the aftermath of the crisis.

“At WFS our goal has always been to provide the industry with the best possible platform to come together and explore new growth opportunities. We believe that in the current context this role is more important than ever. Unprecedented challenges call for unprecedented action. That’s what this unique partnership, as well as our commitment as members of Common Goal, is all about. Combining Octagon’s enormous prestige and unmatchable network, the unrivalled leadership of Ronaldo and our experience hosting and managing events, we are sure that WFS Live powered by Octagon will kick off a new era for football.” – Jan Alessie, Director of WFS.

“It is very important for us at Octagon Brasil to be involved in an event of this magnitude, especially at a time like the current one. It is a unique opportunity to connect the market, share content and, of course, contribute to the debate about what the world of football will look like in the coming years. Besides, of course, the unique opportunity to form a partnership with World Football Summit, a reference in football congresses in the world, and to be side by side with Ronaldo, with whom we share so many projects at Octagon.” – Eduardo Baraldi, CEO of Octagon Brasil.

Tickets for WFS Live powered by Octagon will be released in the coming days. In the meantime, you can register your interest here.