SFS Saudi Edition 2025: Italy and Saudi Arabia engage in dialogue through football, beyond the match
Riyadh, 22 December 2025 – The second edition of SFS Saudi Edition, held in Riyadh, recorded strong attendance and a high level of content, confirming the initiative’s value and positioning as an international reference platform for dialogue between Italy and Saudi Arabia in football and sports business.
The event was organized by the Social Football Summit and Lega Calcio Serie A, and developed in collaboration with the Italian Embassy in Riyadh, the Italian Trade Agency in Riyadh, the Ministry of Sport, and the Ministry of Investment of Saudi Arabia. Hosted at the Radisson Blu Hotel – Riyadh Convention & Exhibition Center, the Summit brought together institutions, sports industry leaders and international stakeholders to discuss football’s role as a tool for economic, cultural and strategic cooperation, within the broader framework of Saudi Vision 2030.
The discussions focused on sports business development, investment, infrastructure, innovation, fan experience, sports tourism, and the commercial opportunities linked to the Italian Super Cup. The panels featured the participation of the Italian Ambassador to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Carlo Baldocci, and senior representatives from the Ministry of Sport and the Ministry of Investment of Saudi Arabia, including Ghandourah Ghandourah, Waleed Algarni, Bader Aljeraisy, Anas Dahlawi, and Basim K. Ibrahim.
Significant space was dedicated to dialogue among leading football organizations, with the participation of Lega Calcio Serie A, the Saudi Pro League (SPL) and the Saudi Arabian Football Federation (SAFF). Among the key figures were Luigi De Siervo, CEO of Lega Calcio Serie A, Ezio Maria Simonelli, President of Lega Calcio Serie A, Omar Mugharbel, CEO of the Saudi Pro League, and a representative of SAFF. Cristian Vieri, Ambassador of Lega Calcio Serie A, also took part, highlighting the symbolic and cultural value of Italian football in international dialogue.
The programme also involved clubs and the sports business ecosystem, with contributions from Michele Ciccarese, Commercial & Marketing Director of Lega Calcio Serie A, Guido Fienga, Advisor to Lega Calcio Serie A, Tommaso Bianchini, General Manager – Business Area of SSCN Napoli, and Claudio Fenucci, CEO of Bologna FC, finalists of the Italian Super Cup. Additional speakers included Abdulrahman Abumalih (CEO, Thmanyah), Pier Massimo Marras (General Manager, Salini Saudi Arabia – Webuild), Hazim Al-Hazmi (President Europe and Americas, Saudi Tourism Authority), and a representative of the Mahd Sports Academy. “It has been a very intense year for bilateral relations, and much of the work carried out has focused on sports diplomacy. This is a highly impactful tool in the specific relationship between Italy and Saudi Arabia, on which we intend to continue building shared trajectories,” said Carlo Baldocci, Italian Ambassador to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. “Football connects our two countries from a cultural and people-to-people perspective. We must continue with initiatives like this to further develop partnerships in terms of business, capacity building and shared-interest projects, in view of the major international sporting events that the Kingdom will host in the coming years,” the Ambassador concluded.
In his remarks, Luigi De Siervo, CEO of Lega Calcio Serie A, underlined the strategic value of the journey undertaken in the Kingdom: “Serie A’s presence in Saudi Arabia is the result of a long-term vision built over time. Our commitment goes far beyond the organization of a single event: it is based on solid relationships, strong institutional synergy and a shared strategy focused on the development of football, skills and the wider sports industry.”
In his closing address, Ezio Maria Simonelli, President of Lega Calcio Serie A, highlighted the deeper meaning of the initiative: “Football is far more than competition: it is a universal language and a powerful driver of economic, social and cultural development. Through football, we are building bridges between complementary ecosystems – investment, innovation, infrastructure and tourism – fully aligned with the objectives of Vision 2030.”
Gianfilippo Valentini, CEO of the Social Football Summit, commented: “SFS Saudi Edition was created to provide a structured space for dialogue between international sports ecosystems, and this second edition in Riyadh confirms the strength and maturity of the project. The level of content, the quality of the speakers and the exchange between institutions, leagues, clubs and companies demonstrate how football can serve as a concrete platform for cooperation, capable of generating economic, cultural and social value.”
Beyond the quality of its content and speakers, SFS Saudi Edition 2025 also stood out for its high organizational standards and the numerous opportunities for high-level networking, fostering direct dialogue among institutions, leagues, clubs, companies and investors.
The second edition of SFS Saudi Edition further strengthens the role of the Social Football Summit as an international reference platform for the global football industry and consolidates the strategic relationship between Italy and Saudi Arabia, in the spirit of structured and future-oriented cooperation.
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