Sports education: “The rules of the game have changed completely”

Welcome to this week’s World Football Summit newsletter, your insider's?guide?to the latest thoughts and practises from within the football industry. For the leading piece of this issue we spoke exclusively with?M?riel Koerhuis, CEO of Johan Cruyff Institute, about the need for?education?among professional athletes and the?opportunities?that the football industry has to offer. After more than two decades, the institute has trained more than 9,000 professionals to become?leaders?in the global sports sector.?

The Johan Cruyff Institute continues to be World Football Summit’s?official academic partner, and has actively collaborated with our platform since its?first edition?in 2016. In the interview, Koerhuis explains the educational evolution in the industry over the last few years and the?main trends?for the near future.

Player care and sports education?will be a core topic in World Football Summit Europe next September. The?first speakers ?of our line-up have already been confirmed and include executives from top companies and clubs. On the subject of WFS Europe, our?Early Bird offer?finishes this Saturday, so?click here ?to make sure you don't miss out on our 30% discount!?

Another select group of international industry leaders and experts will debate?disruption and technology?at our forthcoming?Football Innovation Forum.?The?invite-only event ?will be held in Seville on 18 May, hours before the UEFA?Europa League final?takes place in the Andalusian capital. (Check?here ?to see the list of attendees).

As usual, we’ve also?curated?for you some of the most interesting articles published this past week. If you like what you see, feel free to forward or share our newsletter with your friends!

“The rules of the game have changed completely”

Twenty three years after?Johan Cruyff?applied his educational vision for the first time with 35 athletes in?Amsterdam, the centre has grown into a global institution with offices in the Netherlands, Spain, Peru and Mexico. “All?universities?have this objective that we call the?'third mission', which is the transfer of knowledge and also of talent,”?CEO M?riel Koerhuis explains during this conversation with WFS Digest. “We need the sports industry for internships for our students, for job?opportunities. For them to get a taste of how a sports club works. There is a?'win-win'?between companies and sports entities and the Johan Cruyff Institute; we help each other because we have knowledge and?talent.”

Click to read the full interview...

First speakers confirmed for WFS Europe 2022!?

Our flagship event is moving to?Seville?for the first time and will host?more than 100?industry leaders?in 11 different?content tracks?and a number of fascinating panels. The first speakers have already been confirmed and will give you a scent of the top-level?knowledge-sharing and networking?opportunities offered to the 2,500 attendees from all over the world.?

Don’t miss the opportunity of enjoying our?30% Early Bird discount?on Corporate, Delegate and ePass tickets, which ends on?Saturday.?Simply click on this?link ?and secure your spot at #WFSEurope - either in-person or online.

Learn more about our speakers

FIF: innovation in Seville before UEFA Europa League’s final

Top innovation leaders from?FIFA, UEFA, LaLiga and major properties?are participating in our?Football Innovation Forum, which will take place in Seville the morning of?18?May. The sport’s main stakeholders will help you to remain?relevant?in this highly disruptive environment. Click?here ?to see the new attendees confirmed this week. And remember: you are still in time to?join us !?Check out the programme .

World Football Summit donation campaign for Ukraine

WFS is donating?10%?of all ticketing sales to local NGOs and charity projects working with?refugees within Ukrainian territory, via our partnership with?Common Goal,?and the first donations have already been sent. This decision will not affect our current ticketing value and the effort will be continued until the end of our ticketing sales period for WFS Europe.?

Weekly reads

Each week, WFS Digest brings you the best reads from the best journalists and media outlets covering the football business from around the world.?Read the latest, here .

??18 May 2022 Seville, SPAIN?|?FOOTBALL INNOVATION FORUM ??Pre-Register

??28—29 Sept. 2022?| Seville, SPAIN?|?WFS EUROPE ??Register