The WFS Riyadh Honours were first introduced in 2023 during WFS’s inaugural edition in Saudi Arabia, held in Jeddah, and celebrate outstanding achievement across key areas of the game and the industry. This year’s edition, presented in partnership with Arena Events+Venues, honours groundbreaking work, from grassroots talent programmes to pioneering club models and leaders opening new pathways for women in sport.

2025 WINNERS

WFS Honour for Growth & Expansion presented by Misk City
Winner: Mahd Academy

Mahd Academy is the Kingdom’s largest national project for identifying and developing sports talent. The academy is recognised for systematising talent discovery across the country, building a sustainable, data-driven pathway from grassroots to elite level that prepares the champions who will represent the Kingdom at the 2034 FIFA World Cup.

WFS Honour for Technology and Innovation presented by N3XT Sports
Winner: Team Saudi

Team Saudi, the Kingdom’s Olympic and Paralympic programme, is celebrated for integrating cutting-edge performance technologies and digital tools to modernise the athlete pathway, placing data and innovation at the heart of Saudi Arabia’s sporting evolution and preparing athletes to compete at the highest international level.

WFS Honour for Brand & Fan Strategy presented by Copa90
Winner: Al Albalad FC

Born from Jeddah’s historic UNESCO World Heritage district, Al Albalad FC is a community-first project built on local identity—drawing strength from youth who played their first matches in the courtyards of old Jeddah. The club is recognised for balancing rich cultural heritage with modern football ambition, creating an authentic brand strategy that unites generations and resonates deeply with the community.

WFS Female Leader Honour presented by the British Embassy in Saudi Arabia
Winner: Lina Al Maeena

In 2003, Lina Al Maeena founded Jeddah United, Saudi Arabia’s first private female basketball club, becoming the first Saudi woman to establish a private sports enterprise at a time when women’s sports faced significant barriers. She is honoured for her grassroots advocacy and continued leadership in championing gender equality and sports development in Saudi Arabia.

WFS Honour for Leadership, Impact & Legacy presented by Koora Break
Winner: Ben Harburg

Ben Harburg is the owner of Al-Kholood Club, the first Saudi club acquired by foreign investors following the Kingdom’s privatisation programme in July 2025. He is honoured for demonstrating strategic leadership in football investment that drives long-term structural change, connecting capital with sustainable club development and creating measurable value for local communities.

Special Honour for Breakthrough Sports Institution presented by Arena E+V
Winner: AlUla Sports Club

With roots dating back to 1981, AlUla Sports Club spent decades in the lower tiers before joining the Royal Commission for AlUla in June 2023 as part of Vision 2030. The club is recognised for remarkable swift progress: winning the Saudi Third Division title in March 2024 and reaching the First Division League while successfully professionalising its infrastructure and incorporating destination branding into their strategy.

The WFS Riyadh Honours 2025 will be presented during a ceremony taking place on 10 December at 8:00 PM at the Residence of the Ambassador of Brazil in Riyadh, on the evening of the first day of WFS Riyadh 2025.

Jan Alessie, Co-Founder & Managing Director of WFS, said:

“The quality of this year’s winners reflects the extraordinary work happening across Saudi Arabia and the wider region. From grassroots talent development to pioneering club models and leadership that’s opening new pathways for women in sport—these are the organisations and individuals turning ambition into measurable impact. It’s a privilege to recognise their contributions.”

The speaker line-up reflects the diversity of the global game, with confirmed names including Grace Ahrens (Executive Director at Women in Soccer), Fernando Carro (CEO at Bayer 04 Leverkusen), Chris Davis (Brand President & CMO of New Balance), Lise Klaveness  (President of the Norwegian FA), Nadine Kessler (Director of Women’s Football at UEFA), Rafael Louzán (President of RFEF), Peter Moore (owner of Santa Barbara Sky FC) and Stephen Pagliuca (Co-Chairman of Atalanta B.C.).

At the core of WFS is an enduring commitment: driving business growth while promoting a football industry that is sustainable, diverse and accessible. This balance runs across the agenda, which combines deal-making with conversations on how football’s global reach can deliver positive impact.

The programme will once again include the Female Leaders Gathering, a flagship initiative that celebrates women’s leadership in sport and fosters the networks needed to build a more inclusive and equitable game.

On 15 October, the WFS Awards will take place at Madrid’s iconic Teatro Eslava, recognising outstanding executives, organisations and projects across the global game. This year’s winners include Paris Saint-Germain CEO Nasser Al-Khelaifi, the Italian Football Association (FIGC), Juventus FC and the Allianz Arena.

New Employability Area powered by FutbolJobs

Among the new features of this edition, WFS Madrid 2025 will include an Employability Area, managed by FutbolJobs, where attendees will have the chance to connect with clubs, agencies and organisations seeking new talent. This edition also brings back the WFS StartCup, the startup competition that showcases and accelerates the most innovative ventures in football, with more than 100 projects submitted.

“We are delighted to return to Madrid, and to a venue like La Nave — a place that, much like WFS, has innovation in its DNA,” said Marian Otamendi, CEO of WFS. “Our mission has always been to connect football’s stakeholders. That is more relevant than ever as the industry faces unprecedented change. WFS Madrid will provide both the insight and the connections needed to navigate this transformation.”

Since 2016, WFS has hosted over 30 international events, welcoming nearly 40,000 participants. Today, annual editions are held in Spain, Morocco, Mexico, Hong Kong and Saudi Arabia, combining a global outlook with a local perspective.

The 2025 edition featured eleven categories showcasing innovation, social impact, sustainability and growth on and off the pitch. In total, more than 135 applications were submitted from 20 countries across six continents, confirming the Awards’ position as a benchmark of excellence in football.

LIST OF WINNERS:

Best Executive presented by Excel Search & Advisory

Winner: Nasser Al-Khelaïfi (Paris Saint-Germain).
Finalists: Jessica Berman (NWSL) & Esteve Calzada (Al Hilal FC).

Chairman of beIN Media Group and Qatar Sports Investments, and President & CEO of Paris Saint-Germain, who conquered its first UEFA Champions League in 2025, Nasser Al-Khelaïfi has been honored for leading PSG’s global expansion while promoting sustainability, diversity and community impact.

Best Digital Transformation presented by N3XT Sports

Winner: Al Nassr x Condor Media.
Finalists: Playback Sports AI & Club Brugge Loyalty.
Al Nassr’s alliance with Condor Media created a global digital powerhouse, combining personalized content, AI-powered campaigns and multilingual platforms to engage millions of fans worldwide.

Best Growth Strategy presented by Deloitte 

Winner: Zebras FC (Juventus FC).
Finalists: West Ham United & Playback Sports AI.
In 2025, Juventus became the first professional club to join the Kings League, co-creating Zebras FC as a bold brand extension. Rooted in Juventus’ identity, Zebras FC blended football, entertainment, and creator-led content to engage Gen Z, deliver cultural relevance, strategic impact, and position the club as a digital-first innovator.

Best Venue presented by UN Tourism 

Winner: Allianz Arena (FC Bayern).
Finalists: Mercedes-Benz Stadium (Atlanta United) & Johan Cruyff Arena (AFC Ajax).
Home to FC Bayern, the Allianz Arena has become Europe’s greenest football venue thanks to cutting-edge sustainability upgrades such as heat pumps, EV charging infrastructure, climate-smart lighting, hybrid turf and zero-waste policies.

Best Women’s Football Initiative presented by Women in Football 

Winner: FAW – Cymru WEURO25 Campaign.
Finalists: Kigezi Women Football Tournament & World Sevens Football (W7F).
The Football Association of Wales WEURO25 campaign used the slogan “For Us. For Them. For Her.” to break down financial and cultural barriers to inspire a nationwide movement for equality in football. The campaign achieved a cumulative media reach of 8.35 billion and doubled spontaneous national awareness of Cymru’s participation.

Eli Wolff Football Without Limits presented by Integrated Dreams 

Winner: Il Calcio è di Tutti (FIGC).
Finalists: Genuine Cup & Connect & Unsilence The Crowd.
By launching Italy’s first-ever national football tournament for athletes with disabilities as a fully integrated part of the national ecosystem, Il Calcio è di Tutti made football a space without walls, inspiring cultural change and new inclusive models.

Football for Good presented by Common Goal

Winner: Enabling Leadership Play (EL Play).
Finalists: Fields of Change (YFC Rurka Kalan) & Sport for Good at Malaika.
Enabling Leadership Play used football as a learning tool in marginalized communities, empowering youth through play-based education and creativity. The project showed football as a gateway to brighter futures and lasting hope in fragile environments.

Marcus Rashford Award presented by FIFPro

Winner: Jan Vertonghen Foundation.
Finalists: André Onana Foundation & Marc Klok Foundation.Led by former Belgium international Jan Vertonghen, the foundation transforms hospital wards into playful and creative spaces, bringing dignity and hope to vulnerable children in Belgium and beyond. Inspired by personal gratitude, Vertonghen’s work delivered smiles and play to those who need it most.

Most Impactful Branding Initiative presented by SUMMA

Winner: Club América.
Finalists: Sporting CP & Arabian Gulf Cup Kuwait 2024.Club América redefined its identity by moving beyond “Ódiame más” and reconnecting with its heritage through the reunion with Adidas, reaching 34 million users, generating 100 million views and strengthening ties with fans in Mexico, the US and beyond.

Most Innovative Supplier presented by SportsTechX

Winner: wehave x RSCA x Sunweb.
Finalists: ReSpo.Vision & Golstats.
The 2025 wehave x RSCA x Sunweb partnership proved how football, travel and data innovation can drive measurable impact. With 3,226 fan bookings and clear revenue growth, it set a new benchmark for sponsorship value and fan-driven engagement.

Women in Leadership presented by Women in Soccer 

Winner: Diana Matheson (Northern Super League).
Finalists: Irantzu Díez-Gamboa (Mediapro North America) & Khalida Popal (Girl Power Organisation).
Diana Matheson spearheaded the creation of Canada’s Northern Super League, answering a decade-long need for a professional women’s league. Drawing on her experience as a former international, she built coalitions of teams, investors and supporters, making the Northern Super League a reality in 2025.

“It is a privilege to celebrate the winners of the WFS Awards 2025. The variety of initiatives and countries represented reflects the diversity that defines today’s football industry and reinforces WFS’ commitment to represent and give a voice to all stakeholders across the ecosystem,” said WFS Co-Founder and Managing Director, Jan Alessie.

Since their inception, the WFS Awards have honored excellence and purpose in football, reflecting the industry’s transformation into a true economic and social driver. The 2025 edition will culminate on October 15 with a gala at Joy Eslava, as part of WFS Madrid, with trophies designed and 3D-printed from recycled plastic by Nagami, underlining WFS’s commitment to sustainability.