Football Industries MBA Alumni Conference 2026
Join fellow Football Industries MBA (FIMBA) graduates for the 2026 Alumni Conference, taking place on 10–11 September 2026 at the Brett Building, University of Liverpool.
The conference is being delivered in partnership with a FIMBA alumni volunteer steering group and is an opportunity to reconnect alumni, showcase their achievements, and strengthen the future alumni network.
It is the first FIMBA alumni conference since 2010, and we look forward to welcoming you back to Liverpool for what will be two interesting and insightful days.
Over two days, attendees can expect:
- Alumni networking opportunities
- Guest speakers and panel discussions
- Insights into current trends in the football industry
- Opportunities to reconnect with the Football Industries MBA community
Dates: 10-11 September 2026
Venue: Brett Building, University of Liverpool
The conference will be priced at £99 for the two days with an optional conference dinner (additional £62) on the Thursday evening at the Hope Street Hotel.
Confirmed Speakers
- Rick Parry, Chair, EFL
- Gareth Farrelly, Chair of the UEC and the Players Association
- Kelly Davies, Chair of Cymru Football Foundation
- Tom Markham, Principal, Markham Capital & Sports Advisory
- Charlotte Hickey, Head of Women's Football Strategy, The FA
- Walter Böhm, Managing Director, SportsBusiness (Ex-SportFive)
- Alex Phillips, Secretary General, FIFPRO
- Argyro Elisavet Manoli, Associate Professor in Marketing & Management, Università degli Studi di Bergamo
- Joe O'Brien, Manchester Metropolitan University
Conference Programme (subject to change)
Centred around the theme The New Football Economy, the event will examine the financial, commercial, governance and strategic issues shaping the future of football. The programme will bring together FIMBA alumni, current students and invited industry guests for a series of keynote discussions, panels, masterclasses, fireside conversations and networking events.
Day One: The Money
11:30 - Registration and coffee
12:00 - Conference Welcome from Geoff Walters, Professor of Sports Business and Director of the Centre for Sports Business
12:10 - Opening Keynote - Miguel Delaney, The Independent
12:35 - Panel 1 - The New Owners: Value Creation or Value Extraction? Panellists: Tom Markham, Markham Capital & Sports Advisory; Argyro Elisavet Manoli, Università degli Studi di Bergamo; Kieran Maguire, University of Liverpool
13:25 - Masterclass 1 - Media Rights in a Fragmented World - what the numbers tell us and where they're heading. Speaker: Walter Böhm, SportsBusiness (Ex-SportFive)
13:50 - Lunch
14:45 - Masterclass 2 - AI and Data in Football Operations - what's real, what's hype, and what's coming. Speaker: Joe O'Brien, Manchester United and ex-Everton data analysis
15:20 - Fireside chat - The Business of European Club football: Investment, regulation and financial sustainability (online also). Speaker: Sefton Perry, UEFA
15:50 - Panel 2 - Governance: Built for Everyone? Panellists: Alex Phillips, independent consultant (ex-FIFA, UEFA and FIFPRO); Rick Parry, EFL Chair
16:35 - Panel 3 - The Players' Perspective - the role of players as a key stakeholder in the industry. Panellists: Gareth Farrelly, UEC and the Players Foundation; Kelly Davies, Cymru Football Foundation; Simon Lenagan, Charlton Athletic
17:25 - Closing remarks
17:30 - Drinks reception/networking (Brett Building)
19:00 - Dinner: Hope Street Hotel - including fireside chat with Noel Blake (LMA, FA and Premier League Mentor and Match Delegate) and Iffy Onuora (EDI and Special Projects, EFL) moderated by Anthony Ferguson
Day Two: The Game
9:30 - Coffee and Informal Networking
10:00 - Day 2 Welcome and Recap
10:10 - Panel 3/Workshop - The Commercialisation of Women's Football: opportunity, risk, and getting it right (online also). Panellists: Charlotte Hickey, The FA; Sue Bridgewater, ex-University of Liverpool and Women in Football; Emma Clark, ex-Head of Commercial at Blackburn Rovers
11:05 - Fireside chat - The Global Sporting Economy: Asia, America, Africa and the next growth markets. Speaker: Rupert Daniels, World Sports Economy Ltd (Ex-DTI, FIFA, Arsenal)
11:30 - Coffee
11:50 - World Cup 2026 Review Session - The Tournament, the Business, and the Questions it Left Behind. Oxford-style debate moderated by Trevor Gornall and Anthony Ferguson
12:45 - Roundtables - World Cup focus
13:30 - Lunch and Mentorship Matching
14:30 - Alumni Assembly
- Part 1 - The Alumni Network
- Part 2 - Next steps
15:15 - Current Cohort Elevator Pitches
15:45 - Closing Keynote from Rick Parry, EFL Chair: The future of football regulation in England
16:15 - Closing remarks
16:30 - Conference end/informal networking