THE FORUM Brings Together Leaders from Sport, Leisure and Entertainment to Debate the Future of Football as a Global Industry

Madrid has become the global epicenter of the sports and leisure business with the celebration of THE FORUM, an exclusive event promoted by Atlético de Madrid and Apollo Sports Capital. Held at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano, it brought together some of the most influential leaders in the industry, with more than 400 attendees.

The event opened with welcoming remarks from Atlético de Madrid president Enrique Cerezo, who emphasized the importance of the event as a meeting point for professionals to analyze and debate the future of sport and entertainment. “The world of football is experiencing significant growth not only as a sport but also as an industry. I trust that today’s perspectives will help us build a new industry and an exciting future” he stated.

He was followed by Atlético de Madrid CEO Miguel Ángel Gil, who focused on the evolution of the football industry and how it now goes far beyond what happens during matches, highlighting the experiences that will be offered by the future ‘Sports City’: “Atlético de Madrid has been working for some time to make football much more than 90 minutes. We are achieving it. In this stadium alone, in 2025, more than 250 corporate events were held for between 300 and 5,000 people, 23 music events for 60,000 attendees, 24 football matches with nearly 70,000 spectators… In total, around 3.5 million people visited us.”

The first panel featured Rob Givone, CCO of Apollo Sports Capital; Antoine Bonnier, CEO of Quantum Pacific; and Ben Enowitz, CFO of MARI Group. Givone stated that “what is great about Atlético is that we have the best organization and the best management team. I would challenge anyone to find something better in world football.” Bonnier highlighted the evolution of football clubs, stating that “it is crucial to emphasize Atlético de Madrid’s talent in positioning itself as a flagship of the new business model.”

Enowitz, meanwhile, highlighted football’s value as a shared fan experience: “Sport is a passion. People love to share and celebrate; that is why the world of football is so closely linked to the events and entertainment industry.”

The day continued with panels featuring industry leaders discussing major football clubs, including Ferran Soriano, CEO of City Football Group, and Jorge Mas, Managing Owner of Inter Miami, as well as the global impact of Spanish institutions and companies. In the latter panel, Alberto Rodríguez-Toquero (CEO of Mahou San Miguel), Francisco Hein (co-founder of Fever), and Maite Gómez Fraile (VP Officer at Cabify) shared their views.

This section also included José Luis Martínez-Almeida, Mayor of Madrid; Javier Tebas, President of LaLiga; and Rafael Louzán, President of the Royal Spanish Football Federation. Javier Tebas stated that “the balance between domestic competitions is where the brand is built, and all clubs contribute to that,” while Rafael Louzán referred to the 2030 World Cup, which will be hosted in part by Spain: “We are working on this major event that will showcase us to the world, and it is an opportunity we cannot afford to miss.”

David Villa also took part in THE FORUM in a panel on elite footballers alongside Luis Figo, Jorge Mendes (founder of GestiFute), and Spain women’s national team coach Sonia Bermúdez. Villa emphasized the importance of environment in a player’s career: “Everything happens very quickly and, while you are competing, you are not always aware of it. That’s why it’s key to surround yourself with good people, as success can sometimes cloud our judgment.”

The event also featured Pablo Barrios, Atlético de Madrid midfielder, who joined Camilo Andrade, VP/GM Global Football at Nike, in a panel titled ‘Shaping the Football of the Future.’ The academy graduate stressed that “it is a source of pride that children look up to us and want to be like us in the future.”

Another club graduate, Fernando Torres, shared reflections with Jeff Sharma, Vice President of Brand at EA SPORTS FC, on fan passion and young players aspiring to become footballers. “It is important to allow young people to make mistakes, to express themselves, and to experiment. It is part of learning. Respect, commitment, and passion are fundamental pillars,” said the current Atlético Madrid coach.

The event concluded with two exclusive talks by Nasser Al-Khelaïfi, President of the European Club Association (ECA) and Paris Saint-Germain, and Aleksander Čeferin, President of UEFA.

Guillem Balagué spoke with Nasser Al-Khelaïfi about various topics in international football. The PSG president referred, among other issues, to UC3, the joint venture created in 2025 by ECA and UEFA: “We created this alliance and reached a balanced agreement between both parties. We are building something bigger for the clubs.”

To conclude, Vicente Vallés held a conversation with Aleksander Čeferin, bringing THE FORUM to a close. “We are all part of the same ecosystem. Miguel Ángel and Nasser Al-Khelaïfi bring a very positive vision. We must understand that we share the same goal: for football to grow and improve,” said the UEFA president.

THE FORUM is spearheaded by Club Atlético de Madrid, Riyadh Air, and Apollo Sports Capital. More information at www.theforum.es.

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