Soccerex CEO upbeat about 2015 Asian Forum

AMMAN – Leagues, infrastructure and women’s football are among the main topics up for discussion at the 2015 Soccerex Asian Forum in April, Soccerex CEO Duncan Revie told The Jordan Times in a recent exclusive interview.

Revie said since the 2014 forum at the Dead Sea in spring was a huge success organisers decided to hold the event in Jordan for the second consecutive year.

“After discussions, we decided to hold Soccerex in Jordan not only 2015, but also in 2016,” he said. 

He noted that HRH Prince Ali, FIFA vice president representing Asia, was very supportive. 

Revie said renowned figures representing the leagues in the world and football in general are expected to attend next year’s forum. 

“We had nearly 700 delegates this year and we hope to double that next year,” he added.

Revie noted that the Jordanian football leagues would benefit from the forum as representatives from world renowned and popular leagues, including the English Premier League, are going to share their experiences which will help set-up professional leagues here in Jordan. 

“I think it will be a huge step forward for Jordan. The national team is already doing a marvellous job,” he added. 

Revie said the unique selling point of the event is that instead of making people travel around the world trying to see representatives of the football sector, they can be found gathered in one place. 

Meanwhile, the Soccerex CEO applauded the step taken by Prince Ali for hosting the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in 2016, describing it as a “very bold move”. 

“It is really fascinating and many people representing the football sector in the world will come to listen and learn about that,” he added. 

The brainchild for Soccerex was conceived in 1995 in Manchester, England, Revie told The Jordan Times in a previous interview. 

Since the first event in 1996 Soccerex has hosted over 36 events across five continents — including six in Dubai — bringing together over 40,000 industry figures. 

Soccerex is the leading provider of football business events worldwide, according to its website.