Dubai: Fifa President Gianni Infantino will head the list of distinguished speakers at the 12th edition of the Dubai International Sports Conference (DISC).
The two-day conference will be held at Madinat Jumeirah on December 27-28, and will conclude with the Dubai Global Soccer Awards.
The conference, organised by the Dubai Sports Council (DSC), has been conducted every year since 2006 and was established to bring together the leaders in all areas of football including chairmen, directors, referees, agents, players and coaches to share their expertise and experience during two days of workshops and presentations.
This will be the third appearance for Infantino, after addressing the Conference in 2015 while serving as Uefa Secretary General, and again last year in his first year as Fifa President.
Infantino regards the Conference as the idea platform for presenting his vision for the future. In 2015, while running for the Fifa presidency, he outlined his plans for restructuring Fifa, while in 2016 in his first year as President he announced the plans to expand the World Cup to 48 teams.
It is expected that he will again use the opportunity to announce Fifa’s major initiatives in investment in football for the coming year.
Secretary General of the Dubai Sports Council, Saeed Hareb, said: “We are delighted to be welcoming world leaders in football to Dubai to discuss the future of the sport both locally and globally. The sharing of their expertise and experience contributes significantly to the continued growth and development of the sport in the UAE and GCC, and we are honoured to host the Dubai International Sports Conference again this year.”
And in a fitting end to two days of sharing the latest innovations and ideas, Infantino will also be a guest of honour and an award presenter at the prestigious a Dubai Globe Soccer Awards, recognising the best performances of the season from players, coaches and administrators.
Hareb added: “The Dubai Global Soccer Awards are a fitting conclusion to the Conference and we welcome these incredible nominees to Dubai as we celebrate and recognise the best performances in the world of football over the past year.
“It is fitting that in a city which celebrates and encourages excellence in all fields that we will again be recognising the best in a sport we are so passionate about.”
