Sports Summit Madrid wraps up a successful first day as a key hub for innovation and connection in the sports industry.
The first day of the inaugural edition of Sports Summit Madrid 2025 concluded successfully with strong attendance and key encounters. Throughout the day, Pavilion 6 of IFEMA welcomed prominent figures from basketball, football, tennis, Formula 1, American football, and cycling, among other sports.
Sports Summit Madrid is a major event bringing together over two days more than 5,000 professionals, 200 brands, 130 exhibiting companies, and more than 250 speakers. It serves as an inclusive and transformative space that addresses the industry’s main challenges, opportunities, and trends from an open, cross-sectoral perspective.
Organized in collaboration with MADCUP — a project born in 2021 to promote culture, education, and family values through sport — in collaboration with Sports Summit, a Latin American benchmark with more than 15 events held, this gathering lands in Spain for the first time, aiming to establish itself as the leading hub for connection and innovation in the sector.
Classic sports and new disciplines: an inspiring balance
Among the highlights of the day were an interview with Javier Tebas, President of LaLiga, and a panel on the sustainable development of football, featuring executives like Manel del Río (FC Barcelona), Leonardo Giammaroli (SSC Napoli), and Donna-Maria Cullen (Tottenham Hotspur).
The growth of women’s football was addressed in the “Boosting Women’s Football” panel with Victoire Cogevina Reynal and Mario Malavé (Mercury/13), focusing on leadership, investment, and new gender-aware governance opportunities.
Prominent sports figures like Toni Nadal, Jorge Garbajosa, and Luis Scola also participated, sharing insights on how tennis and basketball serve as global entertainment platforms. In cycling, Javier Guillén (La Vuelta), Fran Contador, and Sergio Garrote discussed logistics challenges and growth opportunities for the sport.
The panel on emerging sports disciplines featured Peter De Vries (E1 Series) and Sergio Lewin (Hexagon Cup), who discussed reinventing fan experience and the role of innovation in engaging new generations.
A major event shaping the future of sports
A key theme of the day was investment in the sports sector. In the “The Future of Sports Investment” panel, industry leaders such as Jeff Luhnow (Blue Crow Sports Group), Luis Vicente (APEX Capital), Jochen Lösch (JL Sports Investment), Gary Davidson (54), and Mario Malavé (Mercury/13) discussed emerging financial models and global trends in sports ownership.
Another key session focused on the impact of the NFL game in Madrid, coming this November. The panel featured Gerrit Meier (CEO of NFL International) and Pri Shumate (CMO of the Miami Dolphins), alongside Madrid city officials. The discussion centered on the economic and social impact of the event, to be held at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium.
A major event shaping the future of sports
The event also hosted over 130 exhibitors, making SSM a must-attend meeting point for sports professionals. The Arena and F1 in Schools zones offered immersive experiences and displays that captivated attendees — from live sports demos to racing simulators. The day closed with a session by representatives of Madring, the new Formula 1 Grand Prix to be held in Spain starting in September 2026.
One of the most symbolic moments was the presence of the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF), which showcased its national teams’ World Cups at its stand, bringing fans closer to the achievements of Spanish football.
Technology and sports culture
Digital transformation in sports was another major theme, highlighted by a keynote from Sebastián Lancestremère (Microsoft / GSIC), who explored how AI revolutionizes training, competition, and fan engagement. He was joined by experts like Charles Fremont (UEFA) in a discussion on the present and future of sportech.
The Summit also provided space for inspiration, with voices like Javier Saviola and Leandro Petersen (AFA) reflecting on sports leadership and personal development beyond elite competition.
With hundreds of speakers, multiple stages running in parallel, and thousands of attendees, Sports Summit Madrid wrapped up its first day, positioning itself as a vital space for reimagining sports through innovation, sustainability, and public-private collaboration.
