Doha, Qatar – 1st October 2025 – Aspire Academy is proud to announce that the Aspire Academy Global Summit 2025 will take place at Subaru Park, home of Philadelphia Union, on 7-8 October. The event will bring together leading figures from the world of football for a unique exchange of knowledge, innovation, and expertise.
The 11th edition of the summit is being held in the United States of America for the first time. It is being organised in collaboration with our hosts, Philadelphia Union and Major League Soccer (MLS), both valued members of Aspire Academy’s visionary initiative, Aspire in the World Fellows.
The Chairman of the Aspire Academy Global Summit, Ali Salem Afifa, expressed his delight that the summit is once again breaking new ground and expanding its reach.
“Aspire Academy is thrilled to be taking the Global Summit to the United States of America for the first time as we continue our commitment to driving innovation and excellence in global football development. This Summit helps us bring together some of the world’s top football experts to share ideas, exchange knowledge, and inspire the next generation of players, coaches, and leaders. It is also an opportunity for Aspire Academy to be ambassadors for Qatar and highlight what our nation has to offer the world.”
The annual Aspire Academy Global Summit provides a valuable platform for the Aspire in the World Fellows — comprising elite clubs, federations, and leagues worldwide — to connect and exchange ideas on advancing football development. It fosters collaboration, shares cutting-edge
knowledge, and allows football’s leading practitioners and decision-makers to address the challenges and opportunities facing the game.
For the first time, this year’s Global Summit will feature practical sessions alongside workshops and roundtable discussions. The practical clinics will be led by Philadelphia Union coach and former South Africa international Bradley Carnell, Columbus Crew manager Wilfried Nancy and Jose Tavares from Portuguese side Porto FC.
As always, there is also an exceptional line-up of internationally renowned speakers, world-class coaches, and technical experts who will gather to share insights across a wide range of football development topics.
Following in the footsteps of the likes of Arsene Wenger and Julen Lopetegui, this year’s Master Class will be presented by Rafa Benitez, the former manager of Real Madrid, Liverpool, Chelsea, and Inter Milan. This year’s guests include former England national team manager Sir Gareth Southgate; Carli Lloyd, a FIFA Women’s World Cup winner and two-time FIFA World Player of the Year; Wilfried Nancy, head coach of Columbus Crew and 2024 MLS Coach of the Year; and Alessandro Nesta, a FIFA World Cup winner with Italy.
Roundtable Sessions
The agenda also includes a series of in-depth roundtables featuring experts from clubs, federations, and leagues. This year’s topics:
- Fixed Tactical Philosophy vs. Contextual Adjustments – With experts from AFC Ajax, Philadelphia Union, and Qatar Football Association.
- From Injury to Peak Performance – With specialists from Tottenham Hotspur, Sporting Club de Portugal, Mexican Football Federation, and Aspire Academy.
- Managing Congested Calendars – Featuring MLS, AC Milan, and Urawa Red Diamonds.
- Sports Tech in Soccer: Where Are We? – Contributions from Juventus, MLS, and Aspire Academy.
- New Frontiers in Women’s Soccer – With representatives from Inter Milan, Italian Football Federation, Brazilian Football Confederation, and the National Women’s Soccer League
The Aspire Academy Global Summit, now recognised as one of the most influential knowledge-sharing platforms in football, serves as a global meeting point for federations, clubs, leagues, and experts. Since its inception, the summit has created a dynamic environment for collaboration, cutting-edge research, and actionable strategies that shape the future of the game.
About Aspire Academy:
Since opening its doors in 2004, Aspire Academy has become one of the world's foremost national sports academies. Aspire Academy brings together world-class facilities and global sporting, as well as academic expertise, to provide young, talented sportsmen with the platform to excel and become champions of the future. As part of the Aspire Zone Foundation, the Academy is at the heart of a sporting revolution in Qatar and the surrounding region. We conceive, promote, and implement game-changing excellence in sports training and elite athlete development. The academy is enabling an entire generation of talented, disciplined and committed Qatari athletes to pursue their sporting dreams.
Together with the other members of the Aspire Zone Foundation, including Aspire Logistics and Qatar Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine Hospital (Aspetar), Aspire Academy is developing sports champions, promoting healthy lifestyles, and galvanising the sports economy of today and the future.
