World Football Summit (WFS), the premier international football industry event, has announced a groundbreaking partnership with FC Mother, a pioneering organization leveraging football’s influence to improve maternal health worldwide. This collaboration will introduce the “Health, Well-being and Longevity” platform at WFS events, beginning with the upcoming Women’s Football Summit in Bilbao on March 27.
This strategic initiative establishes a dedicated programming track focused on using football to drive global health improvements, with a special emphasis on maternal health. The first major milestone of this partnership will be the “World Cup of Healing,” set to take place in New York in July 2025 ahead of the FIFA Club World Cup final. This event will showcase real-world impact metrics and community-driven initiatives demonstrating how football can address public health challenges.
A new vision for football’s role in health
“Football has always been more than just a game—it’s a powerful platform for social change,” said Jan Alessie, Co-Founder and Managing Director of World Football Summit. “By partnering with FC Mother, we’re creating a space where the football industry can unite around one of humanity’s most fundamental needs: maternal health.”
FC Mother’s unique “Healing Sports” (H-Sports) concept merges competitive football with measurable wellness initiatives. Through its FC Mother League, the organization engages 5 billion football fans and 4,500 clubs globally to support maternal health programs.
Morad Fareed, Founder and Chairman of FC Mother, emphasized the long-term impact of this initiative: “The football club of the future is not just about athletic excellence—it’s a public vehicle to address humanity’s biggest challenges, starting with healing our mothers. Our partnership with World Football Summit gives us a platform to integrate maternal healing into football culture worldwide.”
Global partnerships and future impact
FC Mother’s approach is backed by over a decade of research and partnerships, including collaborations with Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME), and leading maternal health experts like Jennie Joseph and Dr. Heloisa Lessa.
At the Women’s Football Summit in Bilbao, FC Mother will lead a panel discussion on how football can contribute to maternal health solutions. The initiative also aims to expand its reach to 400 football clubs by 2034, potentially benefiting 13 million mothers annually.
As the “Health, Well-being and Longevity” platform continues to grow at WFS events, both organizations aim to establish a global network of football clubs committed to maternal health and develop industry-wide health impact metrics. This partnership represents a shift in how sports organizations contribute to public health, reinforcing football’s potential to be a force for healing communities worldwide.
Football industry leaders interested in joining this initiative can register for the Women’s Football Summit at WorldFootballSummit.com.
