World Sports Summit kicks off Monday in Dubai under the patronage of Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed
Mansoor bin Mohammed: “Dubai attracts the attention of the sports world”
A packed agenda for the summit on December 29 and 30, with participation of more than 70 speakers and 1,500 sports leaders, stars, legends, experts and decision-makers
Mansoor bin Mohammed:
- The summit will provide an important platform to discuss the future of sports, honour its stars, and emphasize the importance of sports in uniting societies around the world and inspiring future generations.
- We aim, through this global sports gathering, to discuss the reality of global sports, its challenges and opportunities and to develop effective and impactful initiatives that support the growth of the sports sector worldwide.
Key participants and discussions on the first day:
- FIFA President Gianni Infantino to deliver a speech entitled “The Next 90 Minutes”
- Prominent participation from world tennis stars Novak Djokovic of Serbia, Ons Jabeur of Tunisia and Paula Badosa of Spain
- Sheikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa, President of the Supreme Council for Youth and Sports in the Kingdom of Bahrain and Nasser Al Khelaifi, President of Paris Saint-Germain, to also participate in first day of summit
- An inspirational session to host former boxer Oleksandr Usyk
- Opening day to conclude with special session featuring Brazilian and global football legend Ronaldo
Highlights of second day’s participants and discussions:
- MMA legend Khabib Nurmagomedov to open second day’s sessions
- Array of international football stars, including Roberto Baggio, Alessandro Del Piero and Fabio Cannavaro from Italy; Ronaldo and Cafu from Brazil; Carles Puyol and Andrés Iniesta from Spain; Didier Deschamps from France; and Rio Ferdinand from England, to participate
DUBAI (December 28, 2025): Under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence, and Chairman of the Executive Council of the Emirate of Dubai, the ‘World Sports Summit’ will commence on Monday.
Organised by the Dubai Sports Council under the theme ‘Uniting the World Through Sport’, the summit will bring together more than 1,500 participants as sports leaders, stars, legends, experts, and decision-makers will gather at Madinat Jumeirah on December 29 and 30.
His Highness Sheikh Mansoor bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Dubai Sports Council, affirmed that this event will attract the attention of the entire sports world. It will provide a platform to discuss the future of sports, honour its stars, and underscore the importance of sports in uniting communities worldwide, inspiring future generations and supporting promising talents across various sports.
His Highness Sheikh Mansoor stated: “The World Sports Summit will bring together in Dubai the most prominent decision-makers from sports organisations, international federations, major clubs and companies operating in the sports industry, as well as champions, stars and coaches. This global gathering will include dialogue sessions, workshops, seminars and numerous meetings that will shed light on the current state of global sports, the challenges it faces, its development prospects and promising opportunities. It will also discuss various ideas to develop effective and impactful initiatives that support the growth of the sports sector worldwide.”
Inspirational speeches and panel discussions
The two-day World Sports Summit will feature 70 speakers, including sports leaders, decision-makers and stars from the playing and administrative sectors. The first day’s programme includes panel discussions and inspirational speeches from a number of sports leaders and stars. The day will begin with a speech by His Excellency Khalfan Juma Belhoul, Vice Chairman of the Dubai Sports Council, followed by a speech from His Excellency Gianni Infantino, President of FIFA, entitled “The Next 90 Minutes”.
His Highness Sheikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa, President of the Supreme Council for Youth and Sports in the Kingdom of Bahrain, will also deliver a speech on the first day. This will be followed by a panel discussion featuring Serbian tennis star Novak Djokovic, and then a session with Tunisian tennis champion Ons Jabeur and Spanish tennis player Paula Badosa.
The final panel will feature His Excellency Nasser Al Khelaifi, President of Paris Saint-Germain and Chairman of the European Club Association, and will be moderated by Peter Crouch, former Liverpool and England striker.
The first day’s events continue with a panel discussion featuring Filipino boxing legend Manny Pacquiao, followed by a speech from His Excellency Ahmed Belhoul Al Falasi, UAE Minister of Sports.
Another panel discussion will feature former boxer Oleksandr Usyk, followed by two sessions with former NBA players and current managers, namely Tamika Termaglio, Terry Smith, Michelle Roberts and Danita Johnson.
The first day will conclude with a panel discussion featuring Brazilian and international football legend Ronaldo Nazario, a two-time World Cup winner and recipient of numerous club and individual awards.
Nine sessions on second day
The second day of the summit will open with a session featuring Mixed Martial Arts legend Khabib Nurmagomedov, who will discuss the future of combat sports. This session will be moderated by Rio Ferdinand, former England and Manchester United star.
The following session will bring together former Italian football star Roberto Baggio and his daughter Valentina Baggio, along with Italian football legend Alessandro Del Piero, a 2006 World Cup winner with his national team.
Another session will host a number of American football stars, including Reggie Bush, Baron Davis, Marquez Colston, and Swin Cash, to discuss the relationship between playing and sports management.
The fourth session will highlight the role of sports championships and stars in the evolution of the global fashion industry, featuring Jamie Wynne, president of the fashion company Jimmy Choo; Victor Cruz, American football star; and Michael Utley, commercial director of AC Milan.
In a special session on the EuroLeague basketball league, His Excellency Abdullah Al Naboodah, founder and owner of the Dubai Basketball Club, which participates in the league, will speak along with French basketball legend Tony Parker, owner of Lyon; and Paulios Mottijonas, CEO of the EuroLeague.
