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Zawya
10-04-2025
- Business
- Zawya
World Football Summit Rabat at University Mohammed VI Polytechnic (UM6P) Concludes with Commitment to African Football Development and Global Collaboration
The inaugural edition of the World Football Summit (WFS) ( Rabat 2025, held in partnership with Evosport, a subsidiary of UM6P, and in collaboration with the Royal Moroccan Federation of Football concluded after two days of exchanges on the state and the trajectory of football in Africa and its links to global dynamics. Held on April 9 and 10 at UM6P's Rabat campus, the summit convened more than 1077 football industry leaders from 70 countries, including decision-makers from 65 clubs, leagues, and federations. Under the theme 'Where football innovation meets legacy', the event provided a platform for reflection on the evolving role of Morocco and Africa in shaping the global football landscape, particularly in light of the continent's growing visibility ahead of the 2030 FIFA World Cup, co-hosted by Morocco alongside Spain and Portugal. "What we've witnessed in Rabat these past two days has been truly historic," said Jan Alessie, Co-founder and Managing Director of World Football Summit. "The quality of discussion, the level of engagement, and the genuine commitment to collaboration have exceeded our expectations. This summit has not only showcased Morocco's growing leadership in global football but has created tangible pathways for African football to accelerate its development through meaningful partnerships. The connections formed here between African football leaders and their international counterparts will yield benefits for years to come." Hicham El Habti, President of UM6P, stated: "WFS Rabat is a natural extension of our commitment to rethinking development models through knowledge, innovation, and continental collaboration. Football—like science, education, and technology—requires institutions that can convene, structure, and elevate ambition. By hosting and contributing to this summit, we are reinforcing Morocco's and Africa's capacity to lead with ideas, shape with values, and build ecosystems where excellence is cultivated and shared." The WFS Honors Ceremony, moderated by Mimi Fawaz (MC - WFS Rabat 2025), highlighted a number of initiatives and individuals whose work reflects a thoughtful approach to football development. The Academie Mohammed VI was recognized for its Local Grassroots Strategy to develop Sport. Frederic Kanoute received the WFS Honor for Exemplary Achievements in Football&Beyond for his contributions both on and off the pitch. OCP Group received the WFS Honor for Social&Community Impact through Sport for their transformative community initiatives. The Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) was recognized with the WFS Honor for Exceptional Development in Women's Football for their pioneering efforts in advancing the women's game in Morocco. Finally, the African Club Association (ACA) was granted the WFS Honor for Uniting African Football. Discussions throughout the two days addressed pressing challenges and opportunities in the football ecosystem. Topics ranged from talent retention and financial models to technological integration and regulatory governance. Fouzi Lekjaa, President of the Moroccan Football Federation, presented Morocco's vision for football development ahead of the 2030 World Cup. Shehu Dikko, Honourable Minister of Sports of Nigeria, reflected on how African football can become more sustainable. FIFA's Regional Director for Africa, Gelson Fernandes, discussed pathways for strengthening football governance, while CAF's Director of Tournaments, Samson Adamu, shared innovations in continental competitions formats. The summit drew participation from organizations such as FIFA CAF, or ECA, government ministers from Nigeria, Ghana, and Kenya, as well as executives from properties such as LALIGA, FC Barcelona, or even the NBA, who engaged in discussions about cross-continental collaboration in sport governance and development. Moreover, partners including Royal Air Maroc and TAQA played essential roles in the summit's success, demonstrating the importance of public-private collaboration in advancing sports development. The WFS global series continues with upcoming events in Monterrey (June 2025), Hong Kong (September 2025), Madrid (October 2025), and Riyadh (December 2025), creating a year-round platform for the football industry to connect and collaborate across continents. For more information about World Football Summit's 2025 events and registration details, visit Distributed by APO Group on behalf of World Football Summit. Contact: Jaime Domínguez Communications Director World Football Summit press@ About UM6P and Evosport: University Mohammed VI Polytechnic (UM6P) is a Moroccan university focusing on developing solutions to specific continental and more broadly global challenges. UM6P is oriented towards education and research, with strong links to industry, business, and innovation. The university commits itself to empowering a new generation of talents that will build and lead the future of Africa. EVOSPORT, a subsidiary of UM6P, was founded on the belief that sports serve as a powerful driver of socio-economic impact. The company aims to transform Morocco's sports industry by accelerating the development of a dynamic and sustainable sports ecosystem aligned with the country's strategic vision to position itself as a premier regional and global sports hub. Through an integrated and multidimensional approach, EVOSPORT seeks to redefine the sports sector by tackling current and future industry challenges and aspires to become a benchmark in the sports sector through its commitment to sustainable impact, investment, training, and human development. For more information: About World Football Summit: World Football Summit is a leading international organization for the football industry. Through its platform, we organize events across four continents that bring together key stakeholders from the ecosystem, fostering business opportunities, collaboration, and innovation in the sector. Thousands of professionals representing companies and institutions from around the world actively engage with WFS.
Zawya
03-04-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Morocco Emerges as New Hub for Global Football as World Football Summit Lands in Rabat
World Football Summit (WFS) ( in partnership with UM6P and Evosport, and with OCP Group as the Presenting Partner, will welcome over 1000 leaders from the global football industry to Rabat on April 9-10, 2025, marking a significant milestone in Morocco's rise as a football powerhouse following their historic World Cup performance and ahead of co-hosting the 2030 FIFA World Cup. WFS Rabat 2025 represents an unprecedented convergence of African football leadership and global stakeholders, with the strong backing of the Moroccan Football Federation (FMRF). The summit will serve as a landmark gathering for African football development while fostering crucial cross-continental collaborations in football governance, investment, and innovation. The event will feature 85 distinguished speakers from football's most influential organizations, including Fouzi Lekjaa (President of the Moroccan Football Federation), Gelson Fernandez, (Deputy Chief Member Associations&FIFA Regional Director Africa – FIFA), Samson Adamu (Director of tournaments and events at CAF), Fréderic Kanouté (Football Legend), Mr. Shehu Dikko (Honourable Minister of Sports – National Sports Commission of Nigeria), or Eniola Aluko (Investor and advisor). Furthermore, prominent figures in global sports leadership from the Confederation of African Football (CAF), FIFA, FC Barcelona, or the NBA, will be in attendance as well as government officials from Nigeria, Ghana, or Kenya, creating a unique environment for public-private dialogue on sports development. The summit will address critical topics including football infrastructure development, investment opportunities, governance frameworks, and pathways for African talent. Jan Alessie, Co-Founder and Managing Director of World Football Summit, commented: 'WFS Rabat represents a key moment in football's evolution. Africa's football journey is no longer a parallel story but a central chapter in the global narrative. The future of football is collaborative, and that future begins in Rabat.' The summit is made possible through the invaluable support of key partners including Royal Air Maroc and TAQA, who have demonstrated their commitment to elevating Morocco's status in international sports, along with other esteemed organizations such as APO Group or Monterrey FWC26 Host City. Event Details: Date: 9th-10th April 2025 City: Rabat, Morocco Expected attendance: 1000 industry professionals from 50 countries For more information about World Football Summit's 2025 events and registration details, visit Distributed by APO Group on behalf of World Football Summit. Contact: Jaime Domínguez Communications Director World Football Summit press@ About World Football Summit: World Football Summit is the premier platform connecting the football industry worldwide. Since its inception in 2016, WFS has successfully attracted over 25,000 attendees across 26 events and has built a global community of 130,000+ sports industry executives throughout its platforms.
Zawya
24-03-2025
- Health
- Zawya
World Football Summit and FC Mother Form a Joint Venture to Create "Health, Well-being and Longevity" Platform and Accelerate Global Healing Movement for Mothers
World Football Summit (WFS) ( the premier international event for the football industry, today announced a groundbreaking joint venture with FC Mother, the pioneering organization leveraging football's global reach to improve maternal health outcomes worldwide. Through this collaboration, FC Mother will lead the new "Health, Well-being and Longevity" platform at WFS events, starting with the upcoming Women's Football Summit in Bilbao. This strategic partnership establishes a dedicated "Health, Well-being and Longevity" track within WFS programming, designed to spark conversations with tangible impact on how football can influence and improve global health outcomes, particularly maternal health. Furthermore, both organizations are proud to announce the "World Cup of Healing" event in New York in July 2025, prior to the FIFA Club World Cup final. This exclusive event will showcase transformative stories, impact metrics, and community engagement initiatives that demonstrate how the world's most popular sport can address critical public health challenges. "Football has always been more than just a game—it's a powerful platform for social change," said Jan Alessie, Co-Founder and Managing Director of World Football Summit. "By partnering with FC Mother, we're creating a space where the football industry can unite around one of humanity's most fundamental needs: maternal health. Together, we're demonstrating that our sport can lead the way in addressing global health challenges through innovation and community engagement." FC Mother's approach represents a paradigm shift in how sports organizations can contribute to public health. Their invention, "Healing Sports" (H-Sports), merges wellness initiatives with competitive sports to create measurable health impacts. Through their FC Mother League, they engage 5 billion football fans and 4,500 clubs worldwide in supporting maternal health programs. Developed with over 10 years of R&D, FC Mother has cultivated the world's largest health and wellness science ecosystem, including science partnerships with Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, data partnerships with the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME), capital innovation partnerships with Carson Family Office and 33 Capital, and midwifery partnerships with maternal health luminaries Jennie Joseph and Dr. Heloisa Lessa. "We believe the football club of the future is not just a place for athletic excellence, but a public vehicle to address humanity's most important challenges, starting with healing our mothers," said Morad Fareed, Founder and Chairman of FC Mother. "Our partnership with World Football Summit gives us an unprecedented platform to share the H-Sports vision with decision-makers across the football ecosystem. Together, we can instill maternal healing within football culture, generating millions of quality life years for mothers and families globally." Within the scope of the partnership, the "Health, Well-being and Longevity" theme will feature sessions highlighting how clubs can implement maternal health initiatives, measure their impact through Quality-Adjusted Life Years (QALYs), and engage their communities in supporting mothers. The platform will also showcase FC Mother's ambitious goal of expanding to 400 clubs globally by 2034, potentially reaching 13 million mothers annually. During Women's Football Summit in Bilbao, taking place on March 27th, Morad Fareed will lead the panel 'How Football can help solve humanity's most important challenge: healing our Mothers' along with Jennie Joseph, Founder and President of Commonsense Childbirth, and TIME 100 Health Honoree. This landmark partnership between World Football Summit and FC Mother represents just the beginning of a long-term vision to integrate health and well-being into the core of football's global impact. As the 'Health, Well-being and Longevity' platform develops across future WFS events, both organizations aim to build a global network of clubs committed to maternal health, establish industry-wide metrics for health impact, and ultimately redefine how sports organizations contribute to public health worldwide. The collaboration signals a new era where football's reach extends beyond entertainment and competition to become a fundamental force for healing communities around the globe. Football industry leaders, clubs, and organizations interested in participating in the inaugural 'Health, Well-being and Longevity' track can register for the Women's Football Summit in Bilbao at For partnership opportunities related to maternal health initiatives in football, please contact info@ Distributed by APO Group on behalf of World Football Summit. Contact Information: Jaime Domínguez Communications Director World Football Summit press@ Jenn Jimenez Public Relations Lead FC Mother Jenn@ About World Football Summit: World Football Summit is the premier international event for the football industry, gathering relevant stakeholders to address the industry's most pressing challenges and discuss its future. WFS hosts multiple events worldwide, creating platforms for knowledge sharing, networking, and business opportunities within the football ecosystem. About FC Mother: FC Mother is the fruition of a 10-year global research initiative to create a breakthrough on one of humanity's most important problems, maternal healing, a $27 Trillion annual problem. Its mission is to generate historic life years gains for mothers and humanity. FC Mother's invention, Healing-Sports (H-Sports) and its World Cup of Healing, unite the world's leading scientists, capital, and midwives with world-leading football communities to implement and scale its integrated healing programs. For more information, please visit:
Zawya
05-03-2025
- Sport
- Zawya
World Football Summit Lands in Rabat to Unlock Africa's Football Potential
World Football Summit (WFS) ( a leading platform in the global football industry, has announced the organization of WFS Rabat 2025 in partnership with EVOSPORT, a subsidiary of University Mohammed VI Polytechnic (UM6P), and in collaboration with the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF). Scheduled for April 9-10, 2025, on the UM6P campus in Rabat, this landmark event will bring together key players from the global football ecosystem to explore the levers for football's development in Africa. WFS Rabat 2025 stands out for its integrated approach, combining academic insight with concrete action. Under the theme "Cultivating Africa's Future Football Legacy Beyond the World Cup," the summit will highlight football's role in mobilizing Moroccan and African talent, including those from the diaspora, to accelerate the sport's growth on the continent and beyond. Morocco has invested heavily in world-class infrastructure and talent development strategies, positioning itself as a powerhouse in African and global football. This momentum aligns with a broader vision that sees sports as a catalyst for economic and social development, both nationally and continentally. Morocco's selection as the host country reflects its growing prominence on the global football stage, underscored by key achievements such as its historic performance in the 2022 FIFA World Cup and its co-hosting of the 2030 World Cup. UM6P, committed to transforming sports in Africa, brings a scientific and technological dimension to WFS Rabat 2025. Through its subsidiary EVOSPORT, UM6P is fostering a structured, dynamic, and sustainable sports ecosystem aligned with the challenges and opportunities of Morocco and Africa. Jan Alessie, Co-founder and Managing Director of World Football Summit, emphasized, 'Africa is one of the most promising frontiers in global football, with vast untapped potential, particularly in media rights, infrastructure, and talent development. WFS Rabat 2025 will provide a unique platform where international investors and industry leaders can connect with local stakeholders to explore these opportunities.' Ismail Lyoubi, Managing Director of EVOSPORT, stated, 'Co-organizing World Football Summit and hosting it at UM6P is a major opportunity for us to contribute to the development of the emerging football industry at both national and continental levels. This event will bring together key football stakeholders at UM6P, fostering knowledge exchange and building bridges between research, education, and the sports industry through the university's ecosystem.' Over two days, WFS Rabat 2025 will welcome representatives from FIFA, CAF, national football associations, professional clubs, leagues, and leading industry experts and decision-makers. Discussions will focus on critical topics such as infrastructure and stadium development, sports tourism as an economic driver, youth talent training and performance, sports diplomacy and soft power, governance and business models, the rise of women's football, and the impact of technology and data in transforming African football. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of World Football Summit. Press Contacts: Evosport Aysha El Fadli Head of Marketing&Communications UM6P Khaoula Hafidi Media Relations Executive World Football Summit Jaime Domínguez Communications Director press@ About World Football Summit: The World Football Summit is the premier platform connecting the global football industry. Since its inception in 2016, WFS has attracted over 25,000 participants across 25 events and built a global community of more than 130,000 industry stakeholders. For more information on WFS events in 2025 and registration details: About the Royal Moroccan Football Federation: The Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) is a non-profit sports association recognized as a public utility, dedicated to the development of football in Morocco. Founded in 1956, FRMF is affiliated with FIFA, CAF, UNAF, and UAFA. Its mission is to promote, regulate, and expand access to football in all its forms across Morocco, with a strong focus on youth talent development. For more information: About UM6P&EVOSPORT: University Mohammed VI Polytechnic (UM6P) is a pioneering Moroccan institution dedicated to developing innovative solutions to address Africa's unique challenges while contributing to global progress. With a strong focus on education, research, and close partnerships with industry, UM6P fosters innovation and entrepreneurship to shape a new generation of leaders for Africa's future. EVOSPORT, a subsidiary of UM6P, was founded on the belief that sports serve as a powerful driver of socio-economic impact. The company aims to transform Morocco's sports industry by accelerating the development of a dynamic and sustainable sports ecosystem aligned with the country's strategic vision to position itself as a premier regional and global sports hub. Through an integrated and multidimensional approach, EVOSPORT seeks to redefine the sports sector by tackling current and future industry challenges and aspires to become a benchmark in the sports sector through its commitment to sustainable impact, investment, training, and human development. For more information:
