World Sports Summit Reveals 70 Speakers For Dubai Edition

The World Sports Summit, held at Madinat Jumeirah in Dubai on 29 and 30 December under the slogan "Uniting the World Through Sport", is set to bring together around 1,500 participants and 70 speakers. Organisers describe it as a major global platform focused on dialogue, investment, innovation, and the future direction of international sport.

Across 20 scheduled sessions, experts, investors, and senior officials from the sports industry will discuss the sector’s development. The agenda covers decision-making, governance, innovation, and the social impact of sport. Participants include representatives of international sports federations and organisations, alongside high-profile athletes from different disciplines and regions.

The Organising Committee has released a new group of confirmed speakers, taking the total to 70 names drawn from global leaders, stars, and sports legends. This updated list adds more regional and international voices, reinforcing Dubai’s role as a meeting point for wide-ranging views on the future of sport worldwide.

The newly announced speakers span football, basketball, tennis, and American football. They include Italian football legend Francesco Totti and Andrés Iniesta, a key member of Spain’s golden generation. American football will be represented by Victor Cruz and Marques Colston, both Super Bowl champions, reflecting the summit’s multi-sport scope.

The line-up also features Brazilian Cafu, former captain of the national team, and Baron Davis, the former NBA star. Women’s sport will be highlighted through American Sue Bird Cash, regarded as one of the leading figures in women’s basketball, and Spanish tennis player Paula Badosa, a WTA Tour champion.

Alongside the discussions, the World Sports Summit will host the 13th Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Sports Award in a new format. The award aims to broaden the idea of sporting excellence to recognise individuals, institutions, and initiatives with global influence, while underlining the humanitarian and developmental role of sport.

With inputs from WAM