Football legends and leaders amazed by the city’s dim sum and stunning Victoria Harbour views on top of Hong Kong’s potential as a global sporting hub for industry advancement

HONG KONG, CHINA / ACCESS Newswire / September 4, 2025 / Hong Kong, has established itself as Asia’s premier showcase for football, having held a series of high-profile events – from Manchester United Tour of Asia 2025 in May to the Hong Kong Football Festival 2025 in July, that welcomed four of the world’s top football clubs, Liverpool FC, AC Milan, Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur, and most recently The Saudi Super Cup in August, where Cristiano Ronaldo swelled football fandom, not only in the city but across the region.

Football craze reached a fever pitch in town as the World Football Summit (WFS) made Hong Kong the destination for its Asia expansion. Bringing investors, innovators and passionate fans gathered at AsiaWorld-Expo on September 3-4, 2025, rubbing shoulders with iconic players such as former England and Manchester United captain Rio Ferdinand, former Chelsea and England captain John Terry and Croatia’s all-time top scorer Davor Šuker. Mr Anthony Lau, Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB)’s Executive Director, said, “The World Football Summit is one of the world’s most influential football conventions. Being the host city, Hong Kong demonstrates its increasingly influential role on the global sports scene as an ideal host city for both sports events and MICE events for the sports industry. HKTB also extended its warm hospitality by thoughtfully arranging immersive tours of Hong Kong for the visiting football legends and Summit guests, enriching their business travel experience. We will continue to bring more large-scale international MICE events to Hong Kong, so as to attract more high-yield, overnight MICE visitors to the city.”

Hong Kong – Destination of choice for Global Expansion Applauded for Strategic Super-connector Advantages

At WFS, future-shaping insights from the industry’s senior executives and thought-leaders were shared, covering international expansion, Asia’s growing influence in the global game, youth development, grassroots pathways, digital transformation, investment, technology, AI, sustainability and community impact.

Football icons and global decision-makers of the sport also scored exceptional results in charting the business future of the sport, while fan engagement was kicked into high gear through an energy-filled football festival for all.

Jan Alessie, Co-Founder and Managing Director of WFS , hailed Hong Kong as the most strategic choice for the summit’s Asia expansion. “With our debut in Hong Kong, we’re not only bringing that same energy to Asia – we’re building a platform for long-term collaboration, investment, and innovation in the region’s game. We believe Hong Kong can become a bridge between East and West for football, driving growth and unlocking new opportunities for the game across the region.”