From the doorstep of the FIFA World Cup to the high-speed innovation of Formula 1, here is where the industry will meet in 2026.

WFS Mexico | Mexico City

June 3-4, 2026 We are moving to the capital. WFS Mexico will take place in Mexico City just one week before the 2026 FIFA World Cup kicks off at the legendary Estadio Azteca. With the international football industry descending upon the city, we expect a record-breaking attendance. It is the strategic time and place to connect with global stakeholders right before the world’s biggest football tournament begins.

WFS Madrid | 10th Anniversary Edition

September 15-16, 2026 Madrid is our home, and 2026 marks a decade of World Football Summit. We return in September with the city still hearing the echoes of the engines from its very first Formula 1 Grand Prix. This timing offers a unique chance to draw inspiration from across the sporting elite, capturing the lessons and innovations of the F1 world as we gather to discuss the future of football in a city built for world-class events.

WFS Riyadh | The Next Chapter

Coming Soon The journey continues in Riyadh, and we can already promise that the next edition will be particularly special. We are currently finalising the details for our return to Saudi Arabia to ensure the timing is as impactful as the event itself. We know the industry is eager for these dates—but for this reveal, you’ll have to wait just a few more weeks. Trust us, it will be worth it.

The upcoming year represents a landmark moment for the sports industry, and we are committed to providing the platforms where the most important conversations happen. Whether it is in the vibrant heart of Mexico City, our home base in Madrid, or the rapidly evolving landscape of Riyadh, 2026 is set to be our most impactful year yet.

At the recent WFS Madrid, leading executives from both organisations presented  a model rooted in selectivity and culture. Rather than chasing visibility across dozens of assets, New Balance focuses on partnerships that live at the intersection of sport and culture — built on the belief that identity-driven relevance compounds more meaningfully than reach-driven volume.

Values-led partnerships in a performance-driven football economy

New Balance’s positioning in football diverges from the dominant playbook. Rather than racing for scale, the brand has built a smaller, carefully curated footprint — prioritising clubs and athletes who can operate at the intersection of sport and culture.

As New Balance Global  CMO Chris Davis explained, it’s a model designed not for maximum reach, but for cultural relevance, long-term resonance, and identity consistency across markets:  “It’s about being the best and most authentic version of ourselves, not the biggest. We’re not doing things purely to drive revenue or commercial return — we’re doing things to cement authenticity within the marketplace,” Davis said.

Davis contrasted this long-term approach with what he identified as a structural short-termism shaping much of elite football: “Football has been extremely guilty of short-term financial thinking. Too many in football bounce from one sponsor to the next, chasing 5% or 10% more instead of thinking about cultural and community legacy.”

That insight reinforces the brand’s selective approach. New Balance focuses on cultivating partnerships at the intersection of sport and culture — designed to sustain a shared story over time.

This mindset prioritises personality, community engagement and long-horizon brand storytelling over short-term commercial spikes. Internally, the team describes it as operating more like a boutique: not the biggest footprint, but one with clarity and coherence.

As Andrew McGarty, Global Sports Marketing Director at New Balance, explained, the brand’s focus is not on accumulating athletes or shirt deals, but on building cultural alignment.The aim, he suggested, is not scale but curation. The brand wants players and clubs who embody a certain identity —on and off the pitch— capable of representing a point of view in sport and culture rather than simply wearing a product.

“We’re not signing players for what they do on the pitch, they need to do it off the pitch, in the community, be good brand partners, be able to live in that intersection of sports and culture. We’re not looking to sign 50 percent of every team out there, we want that one who is willing to be unconventional and lead.” — Andrew McGarty

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.