Ronaldo heads to Dubai summit, mixing sports, business, politics

Dubai is using the new World Sports Summit next week to burnish its ambition to be a global crossroads for the business and politics of sports, drawing some of the industry’s biggest names for two days of dealmaking and debate.

The gathering Dec. 29-30 will mix star power and boardroom clout, with appearances by Brazilian soccer legend Ronaldo Nazario, boxing icon Manny Pacquiao and MMA champion Khabib Nurmagomedov, alongside club owners, league chiefs and investors.

On the business side, speakers will include the Paris Saint-Germain soccer team’s Qatari president, Nasser Al-Khelaifi, Manchester United co-owner Jim Ratcliffe, and executives from companies such as Nike and Adidas.

Organizers say the summit will focus on how technology, new financing models and global fan engagement are reshaping sports, as well as how events and franchises can be leveraged for economic growth and soft diplomatic power.

Government and corporate figures expected include Dubai Crown Prince Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Sports Minister Ahmed Belhoul Al Falasi, Dubai Sports Council Vice Chairman Khalfan Belhoul and Abu Dhabi Media Network Chairman Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak.