Host City 2021 takes place on 7-8 December, hosted online from Glasgow, Scotland. Register here now for free.

The quality, quantity and diversity of the incredible speaker programme for Host City 2021 continues to grow.

Over the last three weeks, major event organisers joining the programme include: Bodour Al Meer, Sustainability Director, Qatar 2022 Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy; Georgina Grenon, Director of Sustainability, Paris 2024; Argyris Caridakis, Director of Games Services, Paris 2024; Russell Scott, Broadcast Lead, Rugby World Cup 2021, Johnnie Cole-Hamilton, Executive Director – Championships, The R&A and Nadja Burkhardt, Event Supervisor, Eurovision Song Contest.

Additional rights holders added to the agenda include: Ivo Ferriani, Executive Board Member, IOC and President of GAISF, IBSF and AIOWF; Densign White MBE, CEO, IMMAF and Chair, Sporting Equals; Thomas Lund OLY, Secretary General, Badminton World Federation; Beng Choo Low, Secretary General, World Baseball Softball Confederation; Mark Chay, Secretariat, Global Esports Federation; Michael Dhulst, Co-Founder & CEO, Super League Triathlon; Kris Gemmell, Head of Commercial and Marketing, World Triathlon; Kate Miller, Chief Diversity and Communications Officer, The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB); Jennifer Arnold, Associate Vice President, U.S. Soccer Foundation; Senthil Gopinath, CEO, ICCA - International Congress and Convention Association; Marco Mazzi, Vice-President, International Sports Travel Agencies Association (ISTAA); Zhanna Kovalchuk, Executive Director and Jenny Ennis, Congress and Events Manager, European Society of Sports Traumatology Knee Surgery and Arthroscopy (ESSKA) and Martin Boyle, CEO, The International Association of Professional Congress Organisers (IAPCO).

Host destinations joining the line-up include: Robbie Clyde, Head of EventScotland, VisitScotland; François Croquette, Head of Climate Department & Chief Resilience Officer, City of Paris; Grant MacDonald, Chief Operating Officer, Sport Tourism Canada; Peter Duthie, CEO, Scottish Event Campus; Claire McColgan MBE, Director of Culture, Liverpool City Council and Vice Chair, UK City of Culture; and Élise Smith, Senior Program Officer, Major Sport Event Coordination, Sport Canada.

Expert service providers added to the Host City programme include: Kevin Li, Head of International Sports Industry Department, Alibaba Cloud Intelligence; Kristian Gotsch, EMEA Director, Two Circles; and Sean Parry, Commercial Strategy Director, Zwift.

They complete an incredible array of speakers, including: Paul Bush OBE, Director of Events, VisitScotland; Bridget McConnell CBE, Chief Executive, Glasgow Life; Sir Craig Reedie KBE, Honorary Member, International Olympic Committee (IOC); Lord Sebastian Coe KBE, President, World Athletics and IOC Member; Etienne Thobois, CEO, Paris 2024 Organising Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Games; Vincenzo Novari, CEO, Milano Cortina 2026 Organizing Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games; Octavian Morariu, IOC Member, Chair, Future Host Commission for the Olympic Winter Games, IOC and President, Rugby Europe; Katie Sadleir, Chief Executive, Commonwealth Games Federation; Mikaela Cojuangco Jaworski, Executive Board Member, IOC; Anita DeFrantz, IOC Member and LA28 Board Member; Michael Gunning, Jamaican swimming champion; Dagmawit Girmay Berhane, IOC Member; Andrew Ryan, Executive Director, ASOIF, Paul J. Foster, CEO, Global Esports Federation; Jon Dutton, Chief Executive, Rugby League World Cup 2021; Sam Ramsamy, Vice President, FINA; Trudy Lindblade, Chief Executive Officer, 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships; Jeff Foulser, Chairman, Sunset+Vine; Laura Lopez, Director, Conference Affairs, UNFCCC; Billy Garrett, Director of Sport and Events, Glasgow Life; David de Behr, Head of Sales, Aggreko Event Services; Tim Briercliffe, Secretary General, AIPH - International Association of Horticultural Producers; and many more.

Host City 2020 welcomed 1,000 registrants from 60 countries and, with such an amazing agenda, Host City 2021 is set to exceed expectations.

Paul Bush OBE, Director of Events, VisitScotland, said: "EventScotland has a strong partnership with Host City, having been a supporter of the conference since its inception in 2014, and we are delighted to be welcoming it back to Scotland and Glasgow for the 7th consecutive year.

“As we continue to navigate the return of events in this new normal, the conference is great opportunity for the global events industry to come together and learn from one another while also looking ahead to what the future holds for major events under the theme of refresh, regenerate and reconnect.

“The addition of these world-leading event organisers, rights holders and destinations to the incredible speaker programme already assembled will ensure an exciting and informative two days of discussion and debate.”

Dr Bridget McConnell CBE, Chief Executive of Glasgow Life, said: “As a proud supporter of Host City, we’re delighted to welcome the event back to Glasgow for the seventh year in a row.

“As one of the world’s leading host cities for festivals and major events, Glasgow has keenly felt the impact of Covid-19. As we begin to recover and rebuild from the pandemic, we know this event will be a key milestone for many of our colleagues across the world, and seeing how well last year’s Host City event was delivered on a digital platform was hugely encouraging and the global feedback was fantastic.

“We look forward to working with the Host City team once again in just a few weeks’ time to ensure that 2021’s event is even bigger and better than previous iterations, and to share best practice with our colleagues across the world as we all work to create the best possible future for events.”

Etienne Thobois, CEO, Paris 2024 Organising Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Games said: “I am very pleased to be invited to speak once again at the Host City conference, to share with inspiring personalities my experience of organising the Olympic and Paralympic Games, the biggest sporting event on the planet. In a world of rapid changes and high expectations from citizens, we must succeed in organising an event that is both spectacular and sustainable, that monitor its impact while leaving a positive legacy on society. To achieve this, at Paris 2024, we have one watchword: creativity.”

Host City 2021 is delivered with supporting partners EventScotland, Glasgow Life and Glasgow Convention Bureau.

Host City 2021 takes place on an AI-enabled digital platform under the banner of “Refresh, Regenerate and Reconnect”.

Event supporters include: Headline Sponsor, Aggreko; Gold Sponsors, Alibaba Cloud and West Midland Growth Company; Silver Sponsors, International Association of Horticultural Producers (AIPH); Super League Triathlon and Sunset+Vine; Branding Partners, Sport Event Denmark and FOAMHAND; Federation Partner, the International Sports Travel Agencies Association (ISTAA); and Strategic Partners, the Association of Global Event Suppliers (AGES) and Global Esports Federation.

About Host City
Host City is the event and media brand that connects the owners, hosts and organisers of major events.
Through its conference, exhibition and online publishing platforms, Host City shares best practice within the international community of international sports, business and cultural events.
Launched in 2014. Host City events are renowned for the highest level of speakers, content and networking
For more information visit www.hostcity.com or email ben.avison@hostcity.com

[Source: World Triathlon] World Triathlon and Super League Triathlon have announced a partnership to grow a global esports series that will crown the official triathlon esport World Champions. The partnership will see the formation of the Arena Games Triathlon powered by Zwift, a series of events giving opportunities to ranked athletes and national federations to participate and pursue the official World Championship title.

The partnership between World Triathlon and Super League Triathlon is the next step in growing the innovative concept of esports into a new and officially recognised discipline for triathlon. Fully in line with the International Olympic Committee’s aspirations to develop esports with its Olympic Virtual Series, it also taps into the strong growth of virtual participation that emerged during the pandemic.

The Arena Games Triathlon powered by Zwift, developed by Super League, is a unique format that marries real life and virtual racing and realises triathlon’s potential as an esport. Off the back of winning the prestigious Sports Industry Awards title for Cutting Edge Events and the Sports Business Award for Most Innovative Business Response to COVID 19, the Arena Games Triathlon will see both organisations working together to grow a global series that crowns an official World Champion.

Investing in cutting edge technologies, audiovisual content and incredible race scenarios that will generate wide engagement and awareness, World Triathlon and Super League will together help take the Arena Games Triathlon to the next level for the benefit of fans, athletes, national federations and all stakeholders.

The Arena Games Triathlon series builds on the existing MOU between Super League and World Triathlon and will continue to celebrate gender equality, clean sport and fair competition, providing new race opportunities to athletes with the aim of taking the format to the very pinnacle of the sport.

Marisol Casado, World Triathlon President and IOC member, said: “We are absolutely delighted with this partnership. Both organisations have been working hard and investing significant resources to evolve our sport, growing audiences, and giving the athletes the best stages on which to perform at their best. So it is only natural for both World Triathlon and Super League to invest and work together. I am absolutely convinced that the Arena Games Triathlon will be a fantastic event for athletes, broadcasters, sponsors and fans alike.”

Super League Triathlon CEO, Michael D’hulst, said: “This is a very exciting day for the sport. By partnering together, Super League Triathlon and World Triathlon are taking the next step in what has already been a very steep growth curve for the Arena Games. With this partnership, the sky's the limit. This could well be the next Olympic triathlon discipline.”

“The Arena Games Triathlon powered by Zwift has already proved to be an award winning disruptor, recognised by athletes and the wider sports community, and with a growing appetite at the very top levels of sport to bring esport to a much wider audience, this is perfectly timed for the benefit of everyone in triathlon and to help deliver an even more exciting future.”

Super League Triathlon co-founder and Chairman, Leonid Boguslavsky, added: “When I was a kid I had a dream to create a new sport discipline. This is why I am very proud that we have created the Arena Games Triathlon format using innovative tech from Zwift. It will inspire many athletes as well as organisers to roll out this format to many countries and cities since it does not depend on weather or venue restrictions, and triathlon as a sport will grow much faster both for athletes and media.”

World Triathlon and Super League will collaborate on all aspects of Arena Games Triathlon powered by Zwift, including scheduling, participating athletes, involvement of national federations, promotion, broadcasters, host venues and amplifying the reach of the events. The first series will be announced shortly, with the first official World Champions set to be crowned in 2022.

To find out more, listen to Super League Triathlon CEO Michael Dhulst and World Triathlon's Kris Gemmel's "Case Study Presentation: Working in partnership to create an esport world series for triathlon" at Host City 2021 - register here now: https://www.hostcity.com/events/host-city-2021/register

Host City: Sunset+Vine is the Host Broadcaster for the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games – what are the key aspects of the service you will offer?

Jeff Foulser: We are providing the broadcast coverage (Host Feed) for all 19 sports plus ceremonies as well as running the International Broadcast Centre which rights holders can book space and facilities in. We also provide a Games Channel which is essentially a channel showcasing the best live sport at any given time and a multi-channel service if broadcasters want to take just one sport.  

Host City: What led to Sunset+Vine winning the host broadcasting contracts for the 2012 Paralympics and the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games for Sunset+Vine, and how transformative were these projects for the company?

Jeff Foulser: For the 2012 Paralympics we were approached by Channel 4 along with IMG for a joint production of the Games. This was the first time a UK broadcaster had committed so much airtime to a Paralympic Games and led to us running the Rio Games in 2016 on our own. The biggest challenge was to integrate talent with disability into the coverage as well as to find ways to educate the viewing audience. It transformed our company’s perceptions of disability and we’ve trained and employed a number of those who are still with the company today.

The 2014 Commonwealth Games were even more transformative for the company because they signalled our arrival as a truly global player in the world of Host Broadcasting. There was historically a small number of ‘specialist’ companies who were the ‘go to’ people for major events, and Glasgow proved to ourselves and the wider industry that we could deliver outstanding coverage of multi-sports events. This led to a number of major contract wins including ICC cricket and World Rugby Sevens.

Host City: Sunset+Vine also produced numerous live sporting events over the past 18 months. It must be quite a challenge working through times like these – what were the qualities that have enabled your team to navigate this turbulent time?

Jeff Foulser: It has certainly been the toughest time any of us can remember working in the industry but what impressed me was just how adaptable our staff have been to working in completely different ways. We pride ourselves on the culture of our business and the willingness of our people to just knuckle down and handle whatever was thrown at them was incredible. They constantly went the extra mile to keep on delivering top quality productions.

Host City: How do you think the pandemic changed the business of host broadcasting on an ongoing basis?

Jeff Foulser: The pandemic accelerated the move to remote production by a number of years and it has been a transformational way of working. Instead of all staff going to a football/rugby/cricket stadium and working together, we now have significantly fewer people on site as the programmes are predominantly delivered for remote hubs. This way of working is not universal because remote production only works if there is good connectivity at the event but as that improves, the move towards more remote working will continue to evolve.

The danger though is we have to make sure the teams stay personally connected to each other and the on-screen talent and they only get that if they can share ideas over a coffee and reflect on how well the show went afterwards over a beer in the pub. It’s also vital that the more junior members in the team have mentors to help them develop their skills.

Host City: How would you describe the impact of OTT streaming services on the sports broadcasting industry – who are the winners and losers from this media disruption?  

Jeff Foulser: Massive, as we are starting to see in many different territories. Companies like Amazon have very deep pockets and at the moment are testing out which rights work in different countries. We’ve just seen their presence in the North American market drive up the price for Premier League football, forcing NBC to pay £2 billion for a new rights cycle versus £740 million last time. As always in the sports rights market, those with the biggest cheque books will be the winners and it will be impossible for the free to air broadcasters to compete.

Host City: Content is also being generated by fans and athletes themselves – how do you believe this impacts the broadcasting industry (and rights holders)?

Jeff Foulser: This is absolutely complementary to the live rights and really helps to promote the events. As long as the live experience is protected from piracy the value to the rights holder is huge. Content generated by fans and athletes creates excitement and a buzz that feeds interest in the sport and draws even more people to it.

Host City: Thank you very much Jeff, we really look forward to finding out more from you at Host City 2021 on the panel “Broader casting – who owns the rights?”. Readers, check out Jeff’s speaker profile here: and don’t forget in all the excitement and buzz to REGISTER HERE NOW – and enjoy the show!

[Source: Interkultur] Since 2013 the European Choir Games, the European Championships of Choral Singing has brought together choirs from across Europe and the world. During an 8-day festival of singing cities like Graz (Austria), Magdeburg (Germany), Riga (Latvia), and Gothenburg (Sweden) were already transformed in a big stage of international singing in recent years.

The success of the WCG is built on the expertise of the German-based organization INTERKULTUR, the world’s largest organizer of international choir competitions. INTERKULTUR´s biggest success to date was to bring the antique Olympic idea to the choral community. The World Choir Games 2000 in Linz, Austria was the beginning of a Choir Olympic movement and has developed into the world’s largest international choir competition in the world. The 11^th edition of the event has just closed in Flanders, Belgium on November 7. With the European Choir Games INTERKULTUR has transferred the idea to the European continent.

The event regularly brings together around 200 choirs and 8,000 participants from roughly 50 Europan nations and beyond – a unique opportunity to showcase the own city to the world!

There are still hosting opportunities for 2023 and 2025! If you’re interested to receive further information please contact host@europeanchoirgames.com and visit http://host.europeanchoirgames.com

WACH VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ttYMndSr7lM

[Source: Global Esports Federation] The Global Esports Federation celebrates the final months of 2021 with a host of activities, charting numerous firsts for the organization. Excitement among the world’s esports community for the inaugural Global Esports Games kicking off in Singapore on December 17 is at a fever pitch. The inaugural host city prepares to welcome athletes from over 40 countries and territories to compete in person at the historic event in the heart of vibrant Singapore.

[Source: GAISF] The Global Association of International Sports Federations (GAISF) General Assembly today elected Ivo Ferriani as its President representing the Association of International Olympic Winter Sports Federations (AIOWF).

Mr Ferriani begins his term as President immediately and will serve a two-year mandate, as per the GAISF Statutes and its stakeholder rotational principle where the nomination comes from the Association of International Olympic Winter Sports Federations (AIOWF).

Mr Ferriani brings with him a wealth of experience in sports administration, having served as AIOWF President since 2020, and President of the International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation since 2010. He has also been an International Olympic Committee (IOC) Executive Board Member since 2018.

In the lead up to the election, Mr Ferriani shared his plans for the future of GAISF, underlining his commitment to bringing the global sports community closer together for the benefit sport. Mr Ferriani praised GAISF for its tireless efforts to promote sustainability in sport and underlined how he will use his role as a Member of the IOC Sustainability and Legacy Commission to build on this progress.

As a Member of the IOC Women in Sport Commission, Mr Ferriani is committed to helping promote equal opportunities for girls and women in the global sports community to participate in, and benefit from, sport. Moreover, Mr Ferriani pledged to use his experience as a Member of the IOC Athletes’ Entourage Commission to introduce new initiatives directly involving and benefitting athletes. 

GAISF President Ferriani said: “I am very honoured to have been elected as President of GAISF. The COVID-19 pandemic has truly demonstrated how sport is a force for good. I am therefore proud to have this opportunity to work with the global sports community to promote the power of sport and to achieve our common goal of a better world through sport. I am very much looking forward to bringing my sporting experience to serve all GAISF’s Members, Associate Members and Observers, and to support them over the next two years.”

Following Mr Ferriani’s election, outgoing President of GAISF, Dr. Raffaele Chiulli, said: “My heartfelt congratulations go to Ivo Ferriani on his election as the new President of GAISF. I have no doubt he will continue to serve GAISF’s Members and all of sport to a high-level, and I can think of no better representative from the AIOWF family to lead GAISF for the next two years.”

“As the President of ARISF, and the representative of ARISF on the GAISF Council, I will have the pleasure of continuing to work closely with GAISF and its new President in the years ahead.”

There were a number of key updates delivered at the General Assembly, including on financial matters with the budget 2021 and audited accounts 2020 all being unanimously approved. Moreover, the GAISF family welcomed one new full Member, the International Practical Shooting Confederation, and two new Associate Members, the Association of Pan American Sports Confederations and World Martial Arts Masterships Committee, which all had their applications approved by the voting members.

Taking place on an AI-enabled digital platform, this free-to-register conference is a fantastic opportunity for the major events sector to “Refresh, Regenerate and Reconnect”.
Following welcome addresses from Paul Bush OBE, Director of Events, VisitScotland, Bridget McConnell CBE, Chief Executive, Glasgow Life and Sir Craig Reedie KBE, Honorary Member, International Olympic Committee (IOC), delegates will be treated to an enticing programme of speakers and discussion.
Lord Sebastian Coe KBE, President, World Athletics and IOC Member gives a Keynote Address on the successful hosting of Tokyo 2020 and future trends in major events.
Etienne Thobois, CEO, Paris 2024 Organising Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Games brings a Keynote Presentation on “Paris 2024 Games: a new model bringing people around sustainable Games with creativity”.
His counterpart at Milano Cortina 2026, Chief Executive Vincenzo Novari also gives a keynote update on preparations for the Winter Olympic Games.
Looking further ahead, Octavian Morariu, IOC Member, Chair, Future Host Commission for the Olympic Winter Games, IOC and President, Rugby Europe gives an exclusive insight into the process of engaging with future Olympic hosts.
Katie Sadleir, Chief Executive, Commonwealth Games Federation also gives a Keynote Address on Birmingham 2022 and beyond.
Host City 2021 also features Q&A sessions: IOC Executive Board Member Mikaela Cojuangco Jaworski speaks to Host City on engaging with next generation audiences; IOC Member Anita DeFrantz and LA28 Board Member talks about the Games coming to her city and the power of sports and events to break barriers; and Jamaican swimming champion Michael Gunning shares his own experiences of “Turning the tide of prejudice”.
Panel discussions at Host City 2021 feature extremely engaging speakers and topics. Dagmawit Girmay Berhane, Member, IOC, Andrew Ryan, Executive Director, ASOIF, Paul J. Foster, CEO, Global Esports Federation and Jon Dutton, Chief Executive, Rugby League World Cup 2021 consider “How has the pandemic changed the events sector?”.
Sam Ramsamy, Vice President, FINA – and close friend of Nelson Mandela – joins the IPC’s Rita van Driel, the CGF’s Brendan Williams and David Grevemberg CBE to discuss “Diversity and integrity in leadership”.
Trudy Lindblade, Chief Executive Officer, 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships and Martin Green CBE, Chief Creative Officer, Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games and UNBOXED: Creativity in the UK join on “Partnership approaches to event hosting”.
The question of “Broader casting – who owns the rights?” is taken on by Jamie Hindhaugh, Chief Operating Officer, BT Sport, Peter Hutton, Director of Sports Partnerships, Meta, Facebook and Jeff Foulser, Chairman, Sunset+Vine.
It’s not just about sports events either. Geoff Ellis CEO, DF Concerts, Francesca Hegyi OBE, Executive Director, Edinburgh International Festival and Susan Sawbridge, Manager, New Zealand Major Events share outlooks on “The return of live audiences, travel and tourism”.
Laura Lopez, Director, Conference Affairs, United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and Aileen Crawford, Head of Conventions, Glasgow Convention Bureau speak on “The meetings industry in the post-pandemic world”.
Andrew Dixon, Chief Executive, Culture, Creativity, Place chairs a workshop on “Cities of Culture – changing places forever” with Shona McCarthy, Chief Executive, Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society, Prof. Jonothan Neelands, Academic Director for Cultural Partnerships, University of Warwick and Angus Farquhar, Creative Director, Dandelion.
Iain Edmondson, Director, Legacy Delivery chairs a workshop of event hosts and rights holders on “Defining event impacts and promoting positive outcomes” in relation to ASOIF’s “Common Indicators for Measuring the Impact of Events”.
Other great speakers at Host City 2021 include: Shiny Fang, Secretary General, UIPM; Clare Briegal, Chief Executive Officer, World Netball; Jason Ferguson, Chairman, World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association; Sarah Lewis OBE OLY, Global Sports Leader; Billy Garrett, Director of Sport and Events, Glasgow Life; David de Behr, Head of Sales Aggreko Event Services, Aggreko plc; Tim Briercliffe, Secretary General, AIPH - International Association of Horticultural Producers; Katie Traxton, Board Director, European Sponsorship Association; Daniel Cordey, Chair, Association of Global Event Suppliers and more to be announced.
Host City 2020 welcomed 1,000 registrants from 60 countries and, with such a stellar speaker line-up, Host City 2021 is set to exceed expectations.
Paul Bush OBE, Director of Events, VisitScotland, said: "EventScotland has a strong partnership with Host City, having been a supporter of the conference since its inception in 2014, and we are delighted to be welcoming it back to Scotland and Glasgow for the 7th consecutive year.
“As we continue to navigate the return of events in this new normal, the conference is great opportunity for the global events industry to come together and learn from one another while also looking ahead to what the future holds for major events under the theme of refresh, regenerate and reconnect.
"We look forward to working with the Host City team to deliver a conference that ensures a bright future for all events."
Dr Bridget McConnell CBE, Chief Executive of Glasgow Life, said: “As a proud supporter of Host City, we’re delighted to welcome the event back to Glasgow for the seventh year in a row.
“As one of the world’s leading host cities for festivals and major events, Glasgow has keenly felt the impact of Covid-19. As we begin to recover and rebuild from the pandemic, we know this event will be a key milestone for many of our colleagues across the world, and seeing how well last year’s Host City event was delivered on a digital platform was hugely encouraging and the global feedback was fantastic.
“We look forward to working with the Host City team once again in just a few weeks’ time to ensure that 2021’s event is even bigger and better than previous iterations, and to share best practice with our colleagues across the world as we all work to create the best possible future for events.”
Etienne Thobois, CEO, Paris 2024 Organising Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Games said: “I am very pleased to be invited to speak once again at the Host City conference, to share with inspiring personalities my experience of organising the Olympic and Paralympic Games, the biggest sporting event on the planet. In a world of rapid changes and high expectations from citizens, we must succeed in organising an event that is both spectacular and sustainable, that monitor its impact while leaving a positive legacy on society. To achieve this, at Paris 2024, we have one watchword: creativity.”
Host City 2021 is delivered with supporting partners EventScotland, Glasgow Life and Glasgow Convention Bureau.
Event supporters include Headline Sponsor, Aggreko; Gold Sponsor, Sport Event Denmark; Silver Sponsors, the International Association of Horticultural Producers (AIPH), DB Schenker and Sunset+Vine; Strategic Partners, The Association of Global Event Suppliers (AGES) and Global Esports Federation.

For more information visit www.hostcity.com or email ben.avison@hostcity.com

Representatives of the United Nations, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the Paris 2024 Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games spoke out at COP26 in Glasgow to highlight sport's capacity for action on climate change.

The speakers are all involved in the Sports for Climate Action Framework, which was launched at COP24 Katowice in 2018 as a collaboration between the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and sports organisations from all over the world.

The aims are dual: firstly to get the sports sector to move together towards a climate neutral world, and secondly to use its enormous reach to educate, inspire and raise awareness for climate action.

“Sport has a big climate footprint,” Niclas Svenningsen, Manager for the Global Climate Action team at UNFCCC told delegates at COP26 in Glasgow.

But sport also has a huge power to influence. “Not everyone might have a favourite politician, but everyone has a favourite athlete or club,” he pointed out.

Since its launch, the Sports for Climate Action Framework has grown to encompass 300 sports organisations including IOC, FIFA, Paris 2024 and many others. As one of the first sectoral partnerships, the sports framework has also led the way for other sectors to follow suit.

“We want to promote sustainable consumption and advocate more climate action towards athletes, fans, suppliers and everyone else.”

The Sports for Climate Action Framework aligns the sports sector with the UNFCCC Paris agreement to reduce carbon emissions by 50% by 2030 and achieve net zero by at least 2050 – including emissions by suppliers. The Sports for Climate Action Framework has set its own target to surpass this goal and achieve net zero by 2040.

“Almost everyone says we have to do this,” said Svenningsen.

One of the first organisations to get involved in Sports for Climate Action with the UNFCCC was the IOC.

Julie Duffus, Sustainability Senior Manager at the IOC confirmed that the organisation is on track with these goals. And in addition to the UNFCCC targets, the IOC has added an interim goal of reducing the carbon footprint of the Games by 30% by 2024, beyond which all future Games will have to be climate positive.

When it “walks the talk” on climate change, sports can use its power to influence others to change.

“We have such an opportunity to reach so many people,” Duffus said. “We also work with the Olympic movement – international federations, National Olympic Committees and Organising Committees – to reduce their carbon footprint and to use their agency to reach people.

“The athletes are great advocates to reach so many people. If we can give them a voice, we can reach a lot more people to take action individually and within their communities.”

Engaging everyone on earth

Hannah Mills MBE, the most successful female Olympic sailor of all time, is a sustainability ambassador for IOC. Her interest in sustainability began at Rio 2016 where she saw the scale of the problem of plastic pollution.

“What I’m really passionate about is using my voice, but also encouraging other athletes to lend their voice to these massive challenges,” she said.

“Nothing brings people together as much as sport or the Olympic Games does. It’s an amazing coming together of the human race in one place.

“I’m here to say to the politicians: Tokyo delivered a Games that no one that no one thought would happen – now it’s over to you to lead and deliver for us at COP26.

“We need every single person on earth to be engaged with it and doing their bit.”

“Everyone here is really committed to giving sport the platform and the opportunity to put forward the agenda for climate change and the sustainable development goals.

“Athletes have a key role. I appreciate we have a footprint as well, through sports events. But sport has a positive impact in so many areas and if we can harness that, then we stand a really good chance of tackling this crisis in the way that we need to.”

Team spirit

As Director of Sustainability at the Paris 2024 Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, Georgina Grenon is responsible for achieving climate action.

“The Olympic and Paralympic Games is the biggest event in the world, and we are facing mankind’s biggest challenge.

“We couldn’t stage the Games like we used to. That’s why we’re fully aligned with the Paris agreement, to be the first Games to leave a positive impact on the environment.

“It is not easy. This is a race we have to win, and this is where athletes inspire us. We all have to become climate athletes, to be inspired by their resilience, to be objective and to go beyond what was done before.”

The carbon footprint of previous Summer Olympic Games has been estimated to be around 3.5m tons of CO2. The biggest component of this is travel, followed by construction, and then operations.

Using guidelines from the IOC, the Paris 2024 organisers have assessed the carbon footprint of their Games to be 1.5m tonnes of CO2. This major reduction is being achieved using 100% renewable energy, by building in a more efficient way, and by using existing buildings.

“This is how you start slashing emissions in a pragmatic way. It takes team spirit with international organisations like the IOC and all our suppliers to make this happen,” says Grenon.

“We are trying to progress in our way and want to get all of you in Paris in 2024 to celebrate this win as well.”

Positive brand affiliations

Hannah Mills highlighted another important responsibility of athletes and sports organisations – their affiliation with brands.

“As an athlete what’s not talked about enough is sponsorship in sport – who athletes choose to partner with and the messages they send.

“We have audiences, including young people who are influenced. We want to send positive messages from brands who want to do the right thing.

“Sport events have the ability showcase many solutions that wouldn’t have the platform otherwise.

“We can give sponsors the opportunity to show their best in these sport events,” Grenon added. “Most of the solutions are not there and we can’t bring them up on our own.”

“Sport has to come together with academia to find these solutions,” said Duffus. “It’s only by working together that we are going to solve this crisis.”

As well as decarbonising, Paris 2024 is also working across all 17 UN Sustainable Development goals “The social aspects are extremely important,” said Grenon. “This is how you build a sustainable legacy for the Games.”

The Olympic movement might be ahead of some sectors in decarbonisation, but there is still no time to lose.

“We have known about climate change for 100 years. We have to change now,” said Svenningsen.

“Sports is such an important part of raising awareness – it’s like the oil in the machinery. I’m positive we are going to reach a goal.”

To find out more from UNFCCC, IOC, Paris 2024 and how events can contribute to the environmental bottom line, register now for Host City 2021, taking place online from Glasgow on 7-8 December

[Source: Bay Area 2026 Host Committee] Over the weekend, the Bay Area 2026 Host Committee successfully completed its scheduled visit from the FIFA host city inspection delegation as part of the continued efforts to bring the FIFA World Cup 2026 to the Bay Area. Making its first and only in-person visit to the Bay Area ahead of the official host city selection announcement expected in early 2022, the delegation consisted of nearly 30 international football executives from FIFA, Concacaf, U.S. Soccer, and the Canadian Soccer Association. FIFA’s delegation was led by Concacaf President and FIFA Vice-President Victor Montagliani and FIFA Chief Tournaments & Events Officer Colin Smith.

Led by Bay Area 2026 Board President and San Francisco 49ers President Al Guido, Bay Area 2026 Executive Director Patricia Ernstrom, an esteemed group of California and Bay Area leaders made a direct pitch to FIFA about the benefits of including the Bay Area among the expected 16 host cities to be announced from across Canada, Mexico, and the United States for the FIFA World Cup 2026. The leadership group who personally participated in the presentation to FIFA on Friday included California Lt. Governor Eleni Kounalakis, San Francisco Mayor London Breed, San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo, Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf, Santa Clara County Supervisor Cindy Chavez, two-time FIFA World Cup champion Brandi Chastain, and ownership representatives from multiple Bay Area professional sports teams. The presentation also included video messages from California Governor and former San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom and Bay Area 2026 Honorary Chair Condoleezza Rice, as well as a hype video featuring a voiceover by Chastain.

“The Bay Area 2026 committee was honored to host these two gentlemen and their delegation and have the opportunity to make our case to bring the world's largest tournament to the San Francisco Bay Area and Levi's Stadium. I'm unbelievably proud of the support we have received from throughout the state of California,” said Al Guido. “Having the three mayors of our large cities – San Francisco, San Jose, and Oakland – participate in our presentation demonstrated the strong support we have received throughout the nine counties of the Bay Area. Led by our honorary chair, Dr. Condoleezza Rice, we have tremendous leadership in this community, both in the public sector and in the private sector.”

As announced last week, the Bay Area 2026 Host Committee and San Francisco 49ers were joined by Bay Area businesses like Airbnb, Coinbase, Cruise, Google, Levi’s, Lyft, Peet’s Coffee, Salesforce, SAP, and VISA to showcase the wide-ranging support from innovative and forward-thinking leaders across the region.

“The Bay Area 2026 Host Committee stands on the shoulders of 10 Bay Area companies alongside the 49ers to join our starting 11,” said Patricia Ernstrom, Bay Area 2026 Executive Director. “They are our starting 11 because our effort to build the necessary private support for this event is just getting started. Staging an event like this requires tremendous private support and there are 38 Fortune 500 companies in the Bay Area, representing nearly 2 million employees and $11 trillion in market cap. We truly believe we are ready to be selected as one of the hosts for FIFA World Cup 2026.”

On Saturday, a tour of Levi’s Stadium – the premier outdoor sports and entertainment venue on the West Coast and award-winning home of the 49ers – highlighted the final day of the FIFA inspection visit. In alignment with FIFA’s priorities, the tour focused on the facilities specific to player performance such as the locker rooms, pitch, and related infrastructure. Already providing a high-quality natural grass playing surface, Levi’s Stadium management has confirmed their intent to work with FIFA on implementing their new pitch profile in advance of potential matches in 2026. Beyond the stadium, other stops included key locations where FIFA events – such as team training sites, team base camp locations, FIFA Fan Fests – could be held from Oakland to San Francisco to San Jose to Santa Clara.

“It is an important thing that our incentives are aligned with FIFA as it pertains to the pitch and player health and safety,” said Al Guido. “We've hosted international soccer matches, which do not let you play on a turf surface. We all know grass surfaces are healthier than turf surfaces and that’s the reason why we make the investment to have one of the best, not just in the Bay Area, but within the NFL.”

Earlier this year, Levi’s Stadium participated in a FIFA Infrastructure Workshop which examined the venue’s feasibility of hosting FIFA World Cup matches. The stadium passed with flying colors due to a history of hosting other large-scale events including Super Bowl 50, the College Football Playoff National Championship Game, 2016 Copa América Centenario, 2017 Concacaf Gold Cup, and multiple International Champions Cups. Plus, thanks to being in the heart of Silicon Valley’s innovation landscape, the stadium boasts ground-breaking technology that pushes the fan experience to a new level. Now completely cashless, the stadium also offers the world’s first-ever fully integrated 8K video replay system and world-class Wi-Fi infrastructure.

The Bay Area 2026 Host Committee also made a point of showcasing the rich Bay Area history of hosting major soccer events dating back to FIFA World Cup 1994 and FIFA Women’s World Cup 1999. The region’s diverse communities, residents, and culture were also celebrated as factors in support of its suitability to host the event, along with its consistently temperate climate that is especially beneficial to sport in June and July – the months in which FIFA World Cup would take place.

For additional information about the Bay Area bid, please visit bayarea2026.com.

[Source: Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy] Qatar reached yet another FIFA World Cup™ milestone on Friday night when Al Thumama Stadium became the sixth tournament-ready venue to be inaugurated.
The stadium follows Khalifa International, Al Janoub, Education City, Ahmad Bin Ali and Al Bayt in being declared ready to host matches during the 22nd edition of the FIFA World Cup™, which will kick off on 21 November 2022. Al Thumama’s inauguration ceremony took place prior to the Amir Cup Final, which was won by Al Sadd, who defeated Al Rayyan 5-4 on penalties after the match finished 1-1 after 90 minutes. The match was held in the presence of His Highness, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the Amir of Qatar.
H.E. Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa bin Ahmed Al Thani, President of the Qatar Football Association, congratulated the Al Sadd board of directors, technical and administrative staff, players and fans for winning the 49th Amir Cup.
Sheikh Hamad said: “Qatar has been a pioneer in hosting major football matches during the pandemic. The inauguration of Al Thumama marks yet another milestone on the road to 2022 and the first FIFA World Cup in the Middle East and Arab world, while providing another opportunity to welcome fans back to the stands as we continue to overcome COVID-19.
“I would like to express sincere thanks and appreciation to everyone in the medical sector for their outstanding efforts over the past two seasons. With their support, we have been able to host a capacity crowd for this evening’s final and send a strong message to the world that we are overcoming this pandemic.”
H.E. Hassan Al Thawadi, Secretary General of the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy, said: “We are incredibly proud to have inaugurated the sixth tournament-ready stadium ahead of next year’s FIFA World Cup. Al Thumama is a very special venue for everyone in Qatar. It pays tribute to an important piece of clothing that is proudly worn by men and boys across the Arab world and its unique design showcases the talent and innovation of our people.”
Al Thawadi continued: “We are now within touching distance of the World Cup. Soon we will pass the one year to go milestone and host the FIFA Arab Cup – which will give us a major opportunity to test all our plans for Qatar 2022. We stand ready and prepared to host a memorable World Cup for the benefit of Qatar, the region and the world.”
Nasser Al Khater, CEO, FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 LLC, described Al Thumama’s inauguration as another important step on the road to 2022.
“The milestones are coming thick and fast as we get ever closer to the World Cup,” said Al Khater. “The inauguration of Al Thumama is another important step as we ramp up preparations for the biggest sporting event ever to be held in our country and region. We look forward to inaugurating Al Bayt and Ras Abu Aboud before the end of the year, with our eighth and final stadium, Lusail, set to be launched in 2022.”
The 40,000-capacity Al Thumama will host matches during the upcoming FIFA Arab Cup™, which will take place in Qatar from 30 November to 18 December. It will then host eight matches during the FIFA World Cup™ up to the quarter-finals stage. Designed to resemble the ‘gahfiya’ head cap worn by men and boys across the Arab world, Al Thumama was designed by Ibrahim M. Jaidah, who is the first Qatari architect to design a FIFA World Cup™ stadium.
Al Khater said many important lessons were learned during the lead-up to Al Thumama’s inauguration.
“Every major match we organise helps us to fine-tune our plans for 2022,” said Al Khater. “The FIFA Arab Cup – involving 16 national teams from across the region – is yet another golden opportunity to test all our functional areas. In relation to the Amir Cup specifically, we will compile a vast number of lessons learned in the coming days and weeks, particularly in relation to ticketing, Fan ID, travel, health and safety, and others. Every event we organise between now and the World Cup is an opportunity to test our readiness and confirm our plans for the tournament.”