For 13 years now the IFA has attracted important faces and minds in the football industry. Hand-picked decision-makers from clubs, leagues, associations, sponsors, agencies and media congregated for cutting-edge information, high-level networking and meetings.
This year we were also launching the IFA NIGHT at The Dolder Grand Ballroom with many more guests arriving from the world of politics, business, entertainment and sports.

The main theme for our IFA Conference this year was Football from craze to madness - an insider´s view on European leagues. Powerful managers, including the President of FC Barcelona, Sandro Rosell, AC Milan Director Umberto Gandini, the Premier League´s General Secretary Nic Coward, a French entrepreneur and youngest club President Loïc Féry, FC Lorient and Philipp Hasenbein, Managing Director SPORTFIVE, Paris de l'Etraz, Professor IE Business School have been among the speakers. Further topics that drew our attention have been: why we love female football - and invest in it with Tatjana Haenni, Head of Women's Competitions FIFA; Lara Dickenmann, Swiss Star Player Olympique Lyonnais; Ulrich Wolter, Managing Director DFB Wirtschaftsdienste GmbH and Ancillo Canepa, President FC Zurich; Here to play, here to stay. Chelsea FC in Asia and beyond with Ron Gourlay, CEO Chelsea FC; Football business in Russia - why the FIFA World Cup in Russia offers exciting opportunities: keynote lecture by Alexey Sorokin, CEO 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia LOC, fan relationship in the Premier League with Cathy Long, Head of Supporter Services Premier League; the visions of FIFA with Joseph S. Blatter, President FIFA; UEFA EURO 2012: Status report seven months before kick-off with Martin Kallen, Operations Director UEFA; a new era for Brazil's football market? with Marcos Motta, Partner of RBMF Advogados in Rio de Janeiro and former Director of C.R. Flamengo; Solar Power for football: Suntech and TSG 1899 Hoffenheim explain their partnership presented by Jochen Rotthaus, Managing Director TSG 1899 Hoffenheim and Vedat Gürgeli, Vice President Sales and Marketing Europe Suntech; experiencing the magic of arenas and creating more revenue presented by John Barrow, Senior Principal Populous.