Fifa president Gianni Infantino, tennis stars Novak Djokovic and Ons Jabeur, and Brazilian football legend Ronaldo Nazario are set to speak on the opening day of the World Sports Summit in Dubai. The two-day event, running December 29-30 at Madinat Jumeirah, aims to unite sports leaders under the theme 'uniting the world through sport'. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed hailed it as a platform for global dialogue on sports development.
The World Sports Summit, organized by the Dubai Sports Council, will feature more than 70 speakers including industry leaders, stars, and legends. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister, and Minister of Defence, described the event as a first-of-its-kind initiative originating in the UAE. "This first-of-its-kind sports summit... will bring together sports leaders, specialists and individuals with proven leadership and professional expertise from across the global sports sector," he said. The summit will serve as a global platform for dialogue on sports development, shaping its future through strategic initiatives, legislation, and agreements, while unifying efforts to enhance sport's role in communities and talent development.
On the opening day, December 29, Infantino will deliver a 15-minute address charting the on-pitch evolution of football, followed by His Highness Sheikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Chairman of Bahrain's Supreme Council for Youth and Sport. Djokovic will discuss his longevity in winning a record 24 grand slam titles. Jabeur and Paula Badosa will appear together on an afternoon panel. Boxing legends Manny Pacquiao and Oleksandr Usyk will share insights into their careers, with Pacquiao talking about his rise from a troubled childhood to eight-division champion status, and Usyk on becoming boxing's pound-for-pound number one.
Nasser Al Khelaifi, president of Paris Saint-Germain, will converse with former Liverpool striker Peter Crouch about transforming the club into European champions. UAE Minister of Sports Dr Ahmad Al Falasi will provide insights into the UAE's sporting ambitions. The day includes presentations of the Mohammed Bin Rashed Global Sports Awards and a panel on pioneering female executives in US sports, closing with a fireside chat featuring Ronaldo Nazario.
Day two features former UFC star Khabib Nurmagomedov and football greats such as Roberto Baggio, Cafu, Didier Deschamps, Carles Puyol, Fabio Cannavaro, Andres Iniesta, and Alessandro Del Piero.
