WFS StartCup: Turning innovation into value
The WFS StartCup is a startup competition designed to identify the entrepreneurs and projects building innovative solutions to expand the business of football while honouring the essence of the game.
Key Figures
Editions
Applications
Countries
Requirements & Benefits
Requirements
The WFS StartCup is open to startups and projects that meet the following criteria:
- Proven traction: at least one year of revenue or equivalent market validation.
- Industry relevance: a solution applicable to professional, amateur or grassroots football.
- Team & ambition: a committed team with international outlook.
- Exclusivity: previous WFS StartCup winners are not eligible to apply.
Benefits
The WFS StartCup acts as a launch platform within the WFS ecosystem.
Winner
- Speaking opportunity at World Football Summit events
- Complimentary tickets for WFS events
Top 5 finalists
- Pitch opportunity in front of industry decision-makers, investors and strategic partners
- Visibility across WFS channels
- Participation in the StartCup Stand
- Mentorship and advisory support
- Two complimentary tickets and a 30% discount on additional tickets
All participants
- Access to virtual workshops with startup experts and Angel Investors from EBAN Sports.
Key dates & Timeline
February 12th
Applications open
First week of May
Application deadline
June 16th
Finalists announced
September 2026
Final pitches and winner announced
The 2025 Winner
The Hall of Fame
Testimoniales
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Meet the Finalists
Meet the
Finalists
Application
Interested startups must complete a registration form available on the official competition landing page. The form will request essential information about the proposed solution, the founding team, the product development stage, its viability, business model, and potential impact on the football industry. The application period opens on June 23, 2025, and closes on August 8, 2025. Projects with a clear focus, initial validation, and a distinctive value proposition are especially encouraged to apply.
Pre-Selection
After the application period ends, an evaluation committee will review all submitted proposals. This review will be conducted through a digital platform that enables the evaluation of each entry based on criteria previously defined by EBAN Sports (the sports committee of the European Business Angel Network), a strategic partner of the event. Evaluation criteria will include the level of innovation, scalability, alignment with current sports industry challenges, strength of the founding team, and market traction. The top 6 rated projects will be selected as semifinalists and publicly announced on September 5, 2025.
Judges on pre-selection are either business angels or VCs members of EBAN Sports.
A wider judge panel will be announced soon for the final round of the competition.
Regardless the success of your application, all applicants will be invited to two webinars by EBAN Sports investors to get your project investment ready in the sports industry (date & time TBC).
Final at WFS Madrid 2025
Selected semifinalists will be invited to present their projects at the in-person StartCup Final, which will take place during WFS Madrid 2025, scheduled for October 15 and 16, 2025. Each startup will be given 6 minutes to deliver a live pitch in front of a jury composed of investors, club executives, and representatives from the sports ecosystem. The jury will evaluate both the quality of the presentation and the startup’s ability to respond during the Q&A session. Winners will be announced at the end of the session.
June 23, 2025
Application opens
July 30, 2025
Application deadline
September 5, 2025
Semifinalist announcement
October 15 – 16, 2025
Final at WFS Madrid
- Application opens: June 23, 2025.
- Application deadline: July 30, 2025.
- Semifinalists announcement: September 5, 2025.
- Final at WFS Madrid: October 15–16, 2025.