The future of football belongs to Women

Welcome back! Thank you for opening this edition of WFS Digest.

In this special edition:?

• We analyze the?evolution and potential behind women's football
• It's official!?Cindy Parlow Cone,?President of US Soccer,?will be in Sevilla along with?8?new confirmed?speakers!?

At World Football Summit, we remain committed to?ensuring that?at least 30% of our speakers at this year’s event will be female,?and today we can confirm a new round of them that brings us closer to?our goal.

Don't miss the opportunity to join all these leaders?in Sevilla!

Remember?we currently have a 15% discount on all tickets on our website ?but don't wait much longer... this?offer?will end soon!

Women's football: The journey towards sports industry leadership

“We believe the next decade will be a game-changer for women’s sport and with some concerted focus on key areas such as visibility and data we can ensure it is not only commercially viable but sustainable for decades to come.”

?

Tamy Parlour, CEO, and co-founder of the UK Women’s Sport Trust,?summarises a vision for women that we also believe in.

The future of football is in plain sight, and we are not talking about the metaverse, NFTs, or fan tokens; it belongs to women, both on and off the pitch. But don't take our word for it,?simply take a look at the data and what the experts are saying:

• Record-breaking attendance figures in?stadiums: FC Barcelona is a prime example, after gathering 91,600 people at the Camp Nou for?the Champions League semifinal against Wolfsburg.
• TV ratings are skyrocketing:?The audience per match during the 2019 World Cup rose 106% vs. the 2015 tournament.?
• Better TV broadcasting deals: The?landmark deal signed by the English Women's Super League worth 7-8 million pounds per season through the 2024 season ?is a clear success case.

Despite these positive figures, there are still several challenges?that need to be addressed:

• Front Office Sports interviewed some of the top female executives ?of the North American leagues and they?summarised the situation in 3 aspects:?Governance, developing talent at the youth level, and attracting and nurturing new fans.
• There are still significant?differences?in terms of prize money for major tournaments.?Take the Football World Cup as an example, the female US National team was awarded $4 million for their victory in 2019 while the male French team received $38 million after winning the 2018 World Cup.
• The?gap in player salaries between men and women is still wide?but there are some signs of optimism. US Soccer will pay the equative incentives to men & women athletes participating in friendlies and tournaments after a?settlement agreement was reached with the US Women's National Team ?and just a few days ago, the Spanish team?announced a similar agreement.

Nonetheless, the outlook is definitely positive.?Versus shares a study that concludes that 72% of football fans ?around the world admit to being more interested in women's football.?This, along with talent, is the key enabler within the?flywheel that helps grow the ecosystem.?

Read the entire article ?for more frameworks, data, and expert opinions.

Cindy Parlow Cone headlines a new round of confirmed speakers!?

We are thrilled to announce that Cindy Parlow Cone, President?of US Soccer, is coming to WFS Europe!?Ms. Parlow Cone is a former US Women's Soccer athlete and, while she?had a brilliant trajectory on the field, her career off the field is?equally impressive.

Ms. Parlow Cone is the first woman to run US Soccer's governing body. Her efforts were?crucial to leading the Federation through the COVID-19?pandemic and bringing more equality to the game. In fact, she was a lead actor?in achieving pay equity for the men and women's national teams?participating in friendlies and tournaments after a?settlement agreement was reached with the US Women's National Team .??

Joining Ms. Parlow Cone we have?6?other amazing female speakers?that are helping define the future of the sport:

• Reyes Bellver,?Founder and Director of Bellver Sports?
• Cristina Carrascosa,?Founder and CEO at Ath21
• Arianna Criscione,?Head of the Women's Football division at N3xt Sports
• Ebru K?ksal,?Senior Adviser at J Stern & Co. and Chair of Women in Football, UK
• Cathy Long,?Founder & CEO at Aposto
• Maria Teixidor,?CEO at Vuca Solutions

This is not all though.?Joining this fantastic lineup of female?speakers, we have more outstanding leaders confirming their presence at WFS Europe!?

• I?igo Riestra,?Secretary General of the Federación Mexicana de Futbol (FMF)
• Chad Biagini,?President of Nolan Partners

You can?check their full bio here.

All of them will be sharing their knowledge on the state of the industry so make sure you book your ticket now for WFS Europe?and enjoy a special discount applicable to all passes.?

Today we discover?two of the tracks that will be covered during WFS Europe ?in areas where these fantastic sports industry leaders are making a difference.

Sports Law & Governance?

As was mentioned?during FIF22,?understanding sports law is critical?to adapt to the new landscape around Web3, the metaverse, NFTs… WFS Europe would not be complete without this track!

Women's Football

If you enjoyed our article on Women's Football and?the amazing lineup of confirmed speakers,?wait and see the amount of?knowledge that today's confirmed experts will share during WFS Europe.

Best Women's Football Initiative Award

Has your?company or institution contributed in an outstanding way to promote the development and growth of women’s football?

Then this is your opportunity to?apply to the Best Women′s Football Initiative Award, in partnership with Women in Football,?and receive recognition for your amazing work.?Previous winners include La Liga MX, Visa, or Iberdrola,?and yours could be the next one!

Don't way any longer…?apply now

Generate business opportunities at WFS Europe

Is your business?looking for the perfect partner in the football industry?to generate new business??These companies have already booked their spot at WFS Europe ?and we have a?limited number of spots available for?companies?looking to?present?their services to?the main decision-makers in the football industry.

Get in touch ?with our team and don't waste?this opportunity to?be one of them!

??28—29 Sept. 2022?| Sevilla, SPAIN?|?WORLD FOOTBALL SUMMIT?EUROPE?????Register