Abu Dhabi: The UAE capital will be hosting the world-renowned Leaders Sport Business Summit next year. One of the biggest events on the sport business calendar will be looking to gather more than 500 participants from the sporting world to share their experience and knowledge with an aim to shape the future of sport.

The summit will be held on January 29 and 30 and will coincide with the Asian Cup football tournament. It will be an ideal platform for the participating teams and the clubs to join in the discussions. The Abu Dhabi Sports Council’s General Secretary Aref Al Awani signed an agreement with Simon Lau, Chief Commercial Officer, Leaders Sport Business Summit.

“The schedule is between the AFC Asian Cup semi-final and final, and as such we will be already having a big audience in the country,” Al Awani said.

“This summit represents the sports industry and the efforts of Abu Dhabi to be the sporting capital in the world.

“The summit is a global event and it will benefit us and help us in our development march of the sports industry. So obviously it will create a lot of media attention including the social media.”

Al Awani added that the decision was taken to host the summit after a proper review of its success in various countries over the years.

“We have followed the three major summits in London, New York and Beijing before we signed an agreement between the Leaders and ADSC to have it staged in Abu Dhabi for the next three years.

“Our discussion to host the summit in Abu Dhabi started a year ago and now we have reached an agreement to stage this global platform for the sports industry.”

Al Awani said local football clubs had sent their marketing teams to attend the Leaders Summit in London in the past and now it will be easier for them to attend when it is hosted in Abu Dhabi.

“Our local sports clubs and several international sporting clubs, organisations and federations will benefit from this summit in Abu Dhabi, which is strategically located,” he said

Lau, speaking about the partnership, said: “We are aware of Abu Dhabi’s transformation as an international sporting hub for the last 10 years. Why we chose Abu Dhabi is for a combination of several reasons. There are major events like the Formula 1, the AFC Asian Cup and UAE Cycling Tour during this time next year.

“We feel the infrastructure and, in terms of transport, the venues and their capabilities in organising international events, all this make Abu Dhabi as one of the best hosts for a summit of this stature.”