Doha summit to focus on Asia and its growing powerhouse economies

October 17 – There are now only limited places for the FT-AFC Football Summit in Doha, Qatar, October 25. The summit, to be opened with a keynote speech by AFC President Shaikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa, will focus on Asia including panels on league development, finance and sponsorship, and governance.

The summit will pay “special attention to the role of Asian football on the global stage, the potential for global presence in nations such as China and how stakeholders across the footballing world can ensure that development of the sport provides opportunities for social advancement”.

The first panel of the day will look at how Asian leagues can grow to promote themselves against TV-imported leagues both domestically and internationally. The panel includes Kushal Das, General Secretary, All India Football Association, David Gallop, CEO, Football Federation Australia, and Winston Lee, General Secretary, Football Association of Singapore.

A special panel focussing on China will look at the challenge China has set itself with the target of creating a £550 billion plus sports industry with football at its central point.

Key to growth will be corporate support and how governments are harnessing football to bring international business. A panel featuring Wael Al-Qadi, President and Owner, Bristol Rovers FC; Executive Board Member, FIFA U17 2016 Women’s World Cup LOC, Philippe Roten, Commercial Director EMEIA, TAG Heuer and Jamie Graham, CEO, TEAM Marketing, will examine what can be done further to international corporate stakeholders into Asian football, competitions and partnerships.

Qatar is building towards the 2022 World Cup, and a panel titled ‘Tournament goals – making sense of international events’ will feature Nasser Al Khater, Assistant Secretary General for Tournament Affairs, Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy. The panel will examine how local associations and countries look to prosper from hosting and how they can build a sustainable legacy allows for economic success, youth development, cultural inclusion and strategic alliances.

Rounding off the day will be a keynote speech from Hassan Al Thawadi, Secretary General, Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy for the Qatar 2022 World Cup.

To find out more and register go to https://live.ft.com/Events/2016/FT-AFC-Future-of-Football-Summit?reference=insideworldfoothpagebann&utm_source=par&utm_medium=insideworldfoothpagebann&utm_campaign=2016pfootballuae

Contact the writer of this story at moc.l1711727197labto1711727197ofdlr1711727197owedi1711727197sni@n1711727197osloh1711727197cin.l1711727197uap1711727197

 


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