The Soccerex Global Convention – now in its 20th year – attracted a record-breaking 2,804 delegates from 82 countries to the Manchester Central Convention Complex in September. The key meeting place for football professionals, the three-day programme of seminars and keynote speeches was supported by a show floor packed with 163 exhibitors – ranging from architects, designers and technology providers to marketeers and F&B suppliers.

In total, there were 45 conference sessions spread across three stages. The Studio was home to interviews and sessions involving the heavyweights of world football – such as FIFA presidential candidate Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein, MLS commissioner Don Garber and Football Association (FA) CEO Martin Glenn. The second stage, called The Academy, was a hub of learning, insight and creativity and hosted 20 individual workshops focusing on finance, social media, law, match day operations and sponsorship. Finally, making its debut, the conference’s Corporate Social Opportunity (CSO) Zone – delivered in partnership with child rights organisation Terre des Hommes and charity Back In Football – showcased how football can be used as a tool for social development.

Describing the addition of the new CSO area, Soccerex marketing director David Wright said: “We’re always looking to highlight the social issues affecting football and the CSO Zone allowed us to devote more time and space to such an important and diverse area within the industry.”

Towards a new FIFA
The conference opened with an interview with HRH Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein, former FIFA executive committee member and the sole challenger to incumbent Sepp Blatter at this year’s FIFA presidential election. Ali described the world governing body – and its brand – as being ‘extremely damaged’.

“We have to change the entire way FIFA is run and the way that it conducts itself,” Prince Ali said. “As much as people love football, the feelings toward FIFA are precisely the opposite and that is a real shame. The whole football world is suffering because of what is going on with FIFA and it’s no longer a matter of simply changing the leadership. The FIFA brand is repairable, but we need to take a strong stand and we need to start the action now.”

He added that he “wasn’t confident” that UEFA president Michel Platini was the right man to lead FIFA forward.

The topic of FIFA’s future loomed large above networking discussions at Soccerex, and most delegates welcomed the news that former International Olympic Committee director general François Carrard had been appointed to lead a new FIFA reform taskforce. Carrard will chair a 12-member panel that will present reform proposals to the FIFA congress in February, the date when disgraced FIFA president Blatter will relinquish his grip on the organisation he has led since 1998.

Move towards artificial pitches
Another hot topic of conversation was the increased popularity of artificial pitches – especially in climates less favourable for the year-round growing of grass.

The recent success of the Iceland national team, which secured qualification to Euro 2016, was cited as an example of how talent can be nurtured when it’s provided with modern training facilities and heavy investment in youth coaching. Iceland, with a population of 300,000, has 20 full-size artificial pitches and more than 150 small-size pitches to cater for its 20,000 registered players, for example.

Speaking at Soccerex, FA CEO Martin Glenn re-iterated the FA’s intention to increase spending on artificial pitches for grassroots football. “When it comes to artificial pitches, we are way behind other northern European countries with similar climates,” he said, adding that there are many examples of countries seeing an upturn in fortunes after well judged investment in artificial pitches.

“Over the past two years there has been a realisation that we need to spend much more on grassroots facilities – and more specifically, to increase the number of artificial pitches. We’re in a situation where English kids play on quagmires for two months – which means conditions benefit strong rather than skilfull kids,” he said.

Technological advances
The many ways in which technology is changing the way football is played and managed – and how it’s followed and consumed by fans – were also debated during many of the sessions. Delegates heard how many professional clubs are now adopting a more evidence-based, sabermetric approach to team management and player recruitment, partly thanks to the publication of two influential books – Michael Lewis’ Moneyball and Soccernomics by Simon Kuper. Delegates were also given insights into how technology isn’t that far from being able to broadcast real-time player and physiological data back to coaching teams. It’s predicted that by 2030, team sports (not just football) could see miniature cameras being introduced to every players’ shirt to track their views and to cover their every move.

It’s not just player analysis and coaching which will be transformed by technology. The way referees work will change, with the introduction of impact sensors and cameras, while fans will be able to literally feel what it’s like to be a top player by using sensory data transmitted by an electronic tattoo layer worn by players.

During the conference, it was announced that the Soccerex Americas Forum 2016 will take place on 11-12 May in Mexico City. The global convention will be held in Manchester from 26-28 September 2016.