The World Cup, one of the most anticipated editions ever, is expected to generate $40.9 billion in economic impact, but the opportunity for the industry goes way beyond the tournament. The football business across the Americas is undergoing a massive commercial shift, driven by record-breaking figures and structural changes:

• Revenue Growth: Liga MX is centralizing TV rights for 2028, with annual revenue projected to jump from $392M to $950M.
• Investment & Structure: The 2024 entry of private equity into Liga MX and the return of promotion and relegation for the 2026-27 season are driving new commercial dynamics.
• Franchise Valuations: MLS values continue to rise, now averaging $767M, with top-tier clubs already exceeding the $1 billion mark.

In partnership with Mexico Host City, this edition will welcome 2,000+ professionals from 50+ countries. WFS Mexico is renowned for bringing together C-level decision-makers from across the global and regional industry. Past editions have featured the entire ecosystem: from governing bodies like FIFA, CONCACAF and FMF, to leagues and clubs like LALIGA, LAFC and Club América, to global brands like Nike and Adidas, tech platforms like AWS, and broadcasters like TelevisaUnivision.

The calibre of conversation is set by speakers like Javier Tebas (LALIGA), Mikel Arriola (FMF), Davor Suker (football legend), Peter Moore (Santa Barbara Sky FC), Heidi Pellerano (CONCACAF), Jurgen Mainka (FIFA), or famous content creator Jero Freixas (Muchachos FC).

And as challenging as it may seem, this year we’re aiming to raise the bar even further.

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By 2030, football will be shaped by many forces, most beyond the pitch. Texto: This report is designed to help professionals across the global football ecosystem understand where the sport is heading, and how to navigate its opportunities and challenges.

Download the report and discover all the details.

Atalanta’s model

The partnership with Atalanta brings that vision to life. New Balance and Atalanta Bergamasca Calcio — both family-owned organisations — share a long-term mindset built on identity and authenticity.

As the club’s Co-Chairman Stephen Pagliuca explained, Atalanta BC has grown through continuity in leadership, a defined sporting model, and a commitment to its academy. “The Atalanta way is to play hard, to be fair, to have high integrity. And we teach that to the kids starting from six years old,” said Pagliuca. “The partnership with New Balance now allows those values and that vision to reach audiences around the world.”

The New Balance Arena reflects that approach. Pagliuca explained how the club renovated the old stadium — much like Boston’s Fenway Park — preserving its iconic character while modernising facilities with parking and luxury boxes. The result, he said, has been transformative for both fans and the club’s partnership with New Balance. He was particularly enthusiastic about the club beneath the stadium, featuring Italian marble and one of the country’s top chefs. “Maybe if you don’t even like football, you should come and eat there,” he joked. “It’s an incredible experience.”

Through the New Balance Arena, both organisations have created a tangible demonstration of their shared approach: selective partnerships, identity-driven storytelling, and infrastructure that reflects values rather than chases scale. The stadium renovation mirrors the partnership philosophy — preserving what matters while evolving what must.

On December 10-11, over 2,500 attendees from 80+ countries will gather at Misk City for WFS Riyadh — the platform where Saudi Arabia’s football leadership connects directly with the global industry. Taking place one year after the Kingdom was awarded the 2034 FIFA World Cup, WFS Riyadh 2025 arrives as this vision continues to accelerate. From the Saudi Women’s Premier League launch to the privatisation of three clubs opening doors to global investment, the past year has seen significant progress. The event will explore what this means for clubs, leagues, federations, brands, and investors worldwide.

WFS Riyadh 2025 is backed by regional and international football properties, with the Saudi Pro League as Institutional Partner and LALIGA among the event’s Corporate Partners. Over two days, the agenda will explore the evolution of Saudi football, the long-term impact of hosting the 2034 FIFA World Cup, the growth of international club partnerships, innovation in technology, and the role of inclusion and sustainability in the game’s future.

The event will be hosted by Mo Islam, presenter of The Mo Show, a popular podcast known for interviewing the key figures driving the social and economic transformation of Saudi Arabia. The agenda will address football’s most relevant topics through panel discussions, roundtables, and fireside chats — connecting business growth with long-term purpose:

• Governance & Leadership: Football’s evolving models of management and ownership.
• Growth & Investment: Capital, infrastructure, and the business of the game.
• Media, Content & Fan Engagement: Broadcasting, storytelling, and the digital transformation of fandom.
• Performance & Development: Talent, academies, and pathways ahead of 2034.
• Innovation & Technology: Data, AI, and smart stadiums shaping performance and fan experience.
• Culture, Community & Purpose: Inclusion, education, and legacy.

Confirmed speakers include: Khalid Alaraifi, (Chief Experience Officer, Misk City), Saleh Alshehri (Footballer, Al-Ittihad), James Bisgrove (CEO, Al Qadsiah), Esteve Calzada (CEO, AL Hilal), Adlene Guedioura (Former player and football expert), Ben Harburg (Owner, Al-Kholood Club), Peter Hutton (Board Member, Saudi Pro League), Magda Pozzo (Chief Commercial Officer, Udinese Calcio), Ralf Reichert (CEO, Esports World Cup Foundation), and Javier Tebas (President, LALIGA), among many others.

WFS Riyadh will take place at Misk City. As the first nonprofit city of its kind, Misk City is a vibrant, human-centric hub where young and creative minds live, learn, share, and grow. Its state-of-the-art facilities and purpose-built design provide an inspiring setting for WFS Riyadh 2025, where leaders and innovators come together to shape the future of football.

Jan Alessie, Co-Founder & Managing Director of World Football Summit, said: “WFS Riyadh has become a must-attend event for football professionals worldwide. This edition feels especially significant — it’s been a year since the 2034 World Cup was awarded, and the progress across the Kingdom has been remarkable. WFS Riyadh gives that progress a global stage while creating real opportunities for dialogue and partnership between regional leadership and international expertise.”

Few people in football combine the authority of a former Ballon d’Or winner with the strategic vision of a senior executive. Nadine Kessler, now Managing Director of Women’s Football at UEFA, brought both perspectives to WFS Madrid, where she offered a grounded yet ambitious take on where the women’s game stands — and where it still needs to go.

Building on a Record-Breaking Summer

Before looking ahead, Kessler reflected on one of the tournaments that has done more than any other in recent times to cement women’s football’s place in the mainstream: UEFA Women’s EURO 2025. “The EURO is obviously our north star,” she said, describing it as one of the most positive events UEFA has ever delivered.

The tournament, held in Switzerland, set new standards for women’s football in every sense. Twenty-nine of the 31 matches were sold out — a milestone that would have been unthinkable a decade ago. It drew travelling fans from 160 countries, with women representing 50% of total attendance — more than triple the share seen in the men’s edition. “Do we attract a new audience with our competitions? Yes,” she said, underscoring the tournament’s role as a key driver not just for national teams but also for club football.

Kessler also credited the media for its part in that success. “I really want to compliment the media,” she said. “It was solely positive.” The combination of sporting quality, fan enthusiasm, and constructive storytelling, she argued, has set a new benchmark for what women’s football can achieve when given the right stage.

That success, however, brings new responsibilities. For Kessler, visibility is no longer the main battle — structure is. The women’s game has the audience, the momentum, and the credibility; now it needs the framework to sustain them.

A Shift from Visibility to Strategy

“The space is not the problem for the women’s football calendar,” she explained. “It’s finding specific days and times that don’t clash with the amount of men’s matches we have going on.”

That distinction — between space and time — may sound subtle, but it points to a deeper truth. Women’s football doesn’t need to be squeezed into football’s existing ecosystem; it needs an ecosystem of its own. One that allows fans, broadcasters, and sponsors to engage fully, rather than as an afterthought between other fixtures.

Kessler also pushed back against the narrative that women’s football has suddenly “arrived.” Its growth, she reminded the audience, is the result of years of work, investment, and belief from those who kept building when few were watching.

Investment, Not Coincidence

“It’s also sometimes a little bit patronising,” she noted, “if you pretend that women’s football wasn’t there before, and now a magical recipe was found for it to be put on a stage that everyone talks about.”

That stage, she argued, has been earned — not gifted. The billions invested by clubs, leagues, and federations in recent years have turned what was once considered a cause into a market of its own. But growth, for Kessler, isn’t just about numbers; it’s about building something sustainable.

“Women’s football is not a victim — it’s a rising star. And investors come in because they see return, they see a road to profitability — and that’s totally legitimate.”

The Next Chapter: Expanding Europe’s Club Game

Looking ahead, Kessler highlighted the launch of UEFA’s new club competition cycle as a major step forward. “We’re really excited to kick off this new cycle,” she said, “because it expands the number of competing teams at European level.” Alongside the Women’s Champions League, the creation of the new Europa Cup aims to broaden access and visibility for clubs across the continent.

The commercial impact is already clear. “Revenues will increase by more than 100%, and the clubs will get all that money,” she explained. UEFA has also secured groundbreaking broadcast partnerships — including deals with Disney+ and free-to-air networks in key markets such as Spain — taking women’s football to 229 countries.

For Kessler, these achievements demonstrate that professionalisation and growth are not abstract goals but measurable realities. “Our role is to provide the best club competition possible,” she said, “one that’s built on sporting merit at the centre of it all.”

From record attendances to global broadcast deals, the message was consistent: women’s football no longer needs to prove its worth. The challenge now is to consolidate that momentum — with structure, strategy, and vision.

In modern football, a club’s jersey is now considered a canvas for storytelling, sustainability causes, and brand innovation.

This document presents the reader with a selection of 13 creative projects, initiatives, and partnerships that have used football kits to engage fans, promote causes, and break new creative ground in the industry, beyond the wearable symbol.