New Global Sport Conference 2025 announces official theme and first leadership speaker lineup
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'The Next Game – Building the Future of Gaming, Esports, and Sports' sets the stage for a gathering of global decision-makers in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia from August 23-24
Executives from Sony, Activision, SEGA, Bandai Namco, Disney, and LA28 to participate in flagship event at the intersection of sport, esports, gaming, and entertainment.
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia – The Esports World Cup Foundation (EWCF) has officially announced the theme and the first speaker lineup for the New Global Sport Conference (NGSC2025), the leading B2B platform for decision-makers across sports, esports, gaming, and entertainment. Held on 23–24 August 2025 at the Four Seasons Hotel in Riyadh, NGSC2025 will take place during the Closing Weekend of the Esports World Cup 2025, the world's largest esports event.
This year's official theme is 'The Next Game – Building the Future of Gaming, Esports, and Sports,' reflecting the rapid convergence of competitive gaming and global sports. The New Global Sport Conference is the flagship event of the Esports World Cup Foundation, designed as the premier global forum where these worlds intersect, and built for leaders focused on the future and committed to meaningful strategic collaboration.
As part of its 2025 programme, EWCF has confirmed the first group of speakers and participating brands representing the forefront of industry innovation and leadership:
HRH Prince Faisal Bin Bandar Bin Sultan - President, Saudi Esports Federation
HRH Prince Fahad bin Mansour bin Nasser Al Saud - President, Saudi G20 Young Entrepreneurs Alliance & Founder of Entrepreneurship Vision (NGO)
Ralf Reichert - Chief Executive Officer, Esports World Cup Foundation
Casey Wasserman - Chairman, LA28
Peter Moore - Owner, Santa Barbara Sky FC & Former Liverpool FC CEO
Toshimoto Mitomo - Chief Strategy Officer, Sony
Brian Ward - Chief Executive Officer, Savvy Games Group
Joshua Taub - Chief Operating Officer, Activision
Shuji Utsumi - President, SEGA
Katsuhiro Harada - Executive Game Director & Chief Producer, Bandai Namco Entertainment
Magnus Carlsen - World Chess Champion
Danny Tang - Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer, Hero Esports
Taewon Yun - Senior Vice President & Head of Game Strategy, NCSOFT
Jan Alessie - Co-Founder & Managing Director, World Football Summit
Je Alipio - Director & Head of Business Development (Games) APAC & MENA, Disney
Marat Karpeko - Partner, NVO Capital
Jens Hilgers - Founding General Partner, BITKRAFT Ventures
Pete Radovich - Vice President of Production & Senior Creative Director, CBS Sports
Bruce Stein - Co-Founder, aXiomatic
Kartik Prabhakara - Founding Partner, Aream & Co
Michael Murray - Producer, Bandai Namco Entertainment
Mike McCabe - Chief Operating Officer, Esports World Cup Foundation
Faisal Bin Homran - Chief Product Officer, Esports World Cup Foundation
Fabian Scheuermann - Chief Games Officer, Esports World Cup Foundation
Mohammad Al Nimer - Chief Commercial Officer, Esports World Cup Foundation
Ralf Reichert, CEO of the Esports World Cup Foundation, said, 'The 2025 edition of the New Global Sport Conference arrives at a moment of unprecedented change and opportunity for competitive gaming. As the boundaries between sports, esports, entertainment, and technology dissolve, this event becomes the premier global stage for leaders to explore new horizons and create groundbreaking collaborations. At NGSC2025, we'll challenge conventional ideas, pioneer innovative business models, and unlock powerful possibilities in storytelling and competition. Together, we define the next chapter of how the world plays, competes, and connects.'
The New Global Sport Conference will bring together 1,500 industry leaders and decision-makers from across sports, esports, gaming, and entertainment. The curated programme, featuring world-class experts, challengers, and disruptors through keynotes, panels, strategic roundtables, and private forums, will drive transformative global initiatives and foster collaboration on the growth and future of these dynamic industries.
Additional speakers and full programming details will be announced in the coming weeks.
About the New Global Sport Conference
The New Global Sport Conference (NGSC2025) is the flagship event of the Esports World Cup Foundation, serving as the premier global forum where sports, esports, gaming, and entertainment converge in Riyadh. Held annually in Riyadh during the final weekend of the Esports World Cup, the event unites CEOs, investors, and industry pioneers to drive transformative global initiatives and foster collaboration on the growth and future of these dynamic industries.
About The Esports World Cup
The Esports World Cup (EWC) is a premier annual sporting event and global celebration of competitive excellence and esports fandom. The competition features a unique cross-game format that pits the world's top esports Clubs against one another for the largest prize pool in esports history. Returning to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in the summer of 2025, the EWC will bring gaming and esports communities together again to crown the next Esports World Cup Club Champion.
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