What is WIFS?

At a Glance

Who is it for?

Clubs, federations, brands, industry leaders, decision-makers, entrepreneurs, service providers, and professionals working in or interested in the women’s football ecosystem.

Purpose

To bring together key stakeholders in women’s football to share knowledge, build meaningful connections, discuss opportunities and challenges, and contribute to the continued growth and professionalization of the sport, especially in the lead-up to the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup™ in Brazil.

Key Takeaways

• WIFS brings together key stakeholders from across the women’s football ecosystem for two days of content, networking and business opportunities.
• The inaugural summit takes place on September 14–15, 2026 at Museu do Amanhã in Rio de Janeiro.
• WIFS aims to contribute to the long-term growth and professionalization of women’s football in Brazil and internationally.

Our Exclusive Interview with Arthur Lobo

Confut has built a strong reputation through its events focused on men’s football in Brazil and is now expanding into new markets. Why was this the right time to launch a summit dedicated exclusively to women’s football?

Women’s football is entering a particularly important period of transformation. Audiences are growing, the game is becoming increasingly professional, and we are seeing new investment and greater interest from clubs, brands, institutions, and other stakeholders across the industry.

From our perspective, this creates both an opportunity and a responsibility to contribute to this momentum. WIFS builds on the experience Confut has developed over the years, while bringing a dedicated approach to the specific opportunities and challenges within women’s football.

More than simply creating another event, the goal is to build a space where the different stakeholders shaping the women’s football ecosystem can connect, exchange experiences, and turn conversations into partnerships, business opportunities, and initiatives that can contribute to the sport’s long-term development.

More than simply creating another event, the goal is to build a space where the different stakeholders shaping the women’s football ecosystem can connect, exchange experiences, and turn conversations into partnerships, business opportunities, and initiatives that can contribute to the sport’s long-term development.

For those hearing about WIFS for the first time, what exactly is the Women’s International Football Summit, and what experience do you want to provide attendees?

The Women’s International Football Summit (WIFS) is a dedicated meeting point for the people and organizations shaping the future of women’s football. Taking place on September 14 and 15 at the Museu do Amanhã in Rio de Janeiro, the inaugural edition will bring together clubs, federations, brands, leaders, decision-makers, entrepreneurs, and other professionals from across the industry.

The idea came from the experience Confut has built through events such as Confut USA, Confut Sudamericana, Confut Nordeste, and Confut Euro, but with a clear focus on the specific challenges and opportunities within women’s football.

We also see WIFS as being about much more than what happens on stage. The aim is to create an environment where people can exchange experiences, make meaningful connections, identify potential partners, and turn conversations into new opportunities for the industry.

Alongside the networking and business side, the programme will feature prominent voices from women’s football, bringing different experiences and perspectives into the conversation. Ultimately, we want people to leave WIFS not only with new ideas, but with new connections and possibilities to take forward.

Beyond the conversations on stage, how do you want WIFS to generate tangible value and business opportunities for attendees?

Networking is at the heart of WIFS. We believe that meaningful change often begins when the right people are brought together, particularly in a market that is still developing and creating new opportunities.

Networking is at the heart of WIFS.

That is why we want WIFS to be more than a conference. The conversations on stage are just one part of the experience. The connections made throughout the event, between clubs, brands, federations, entrepreneurs, and industry professionals, can become the starting point for new projects, partnerships, businesses, and collaborations.

Ultimately, we want WIFS to continue beyond the two days of the event. The real measure of its impact will be what comes from the connections made in Rio and how those relationships contribute to the development of women’s football over time.

With Formiga, one of the greatest references in Brazilian women’s football, among the confirmed speakers, what are you looking for when building the WIFS speaker lineup?

We are looking for people who bring more than remarkable careers. We want speakers with knowledge, experience, and different perspectives on where women’s football is heading.

Formiga represents that approach particularly well. Her history in the game is unique, but her contribution to WIFS goes beyond what she achieved on the pitch. Her experience also gives her a valuable perspective on how women’s football has evolved and where it can go next.

More broadly, we want the lineup to reflect the diversity of the women’s football ecosystem, bringing together different generations, backgrounds, areas of expertise, and points of view. The goal is to create conversations that inspire reflection while also offering practical experiences and insights for the people actively building the future of the game.

Women’s football brings together stakeholders with very different priorities. What can happen when clubs, federations, brands, and entrepreneurs are brought into the same conversation?

Bringing these different perspectives into the same room can create opportunities that would be much harder to identify in isolation. Each stakeholder sees the game from a different angle, but many of the challenges they face are interconnected.

Clubs can share their needs and priorities, brands can better understand where they can add value, federations can present initiatives and long-term strategies, while entrepreneurs can bring new ideas and solutions to the table.

When these perspectives meet, conversations can move beyond identifying challenges to finding practical ways to address them. That is where we see the real potential: creating connections that can lead to collaboration, innovation, and new opportunities across the women’s football ecosystem.

What role should brands play in accelerating the growth of women’s football?

Brands have a fundamental role to play, not only as sponsors, but as active partners in the development of the women’s football ecosystem.

Financial investment remains essential, but the potential impact goes much further. Brands can bring their expertise, communication capabilities, technology, networks, and capacity for innovation to help clubs and other stakeholders develop stronger properties, create new experiences for fans, and build more sustainable commercial opportunities.

The opportunity is to move from sponsorship to partnership, creating value for brands while also contributing to the professionalization and long-term growth of the game.

The opportunity is to move from sponsorship to partnership, creating value for brands while also contributing to the professionalization and long-term growth of the game.

With Brazil preparing to host the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup™, what legacy do you want WIFS to create for women’s football in Brazil and beyond?

We want WIFS to contribute to a legacy that goes beyond the World Cup itself, one built around connections, knowledge, and business opportunities that continue to develop long after the tournament ends.

Brazil 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup™ represents a unique moment for women’s football, but the real opportunity is to use that momentum to strengthen the ecosystem for the long term. WIFS aims to help bring together the professionals, organizations, and ideas that can continue driving the game forward well beyond the tournament.

What is the long-term vision for WIFS, and how do you expect the summit to evolve in future editions?

The long-term vision is for WIFS to become an international reference point for the business, development, and future of women’s football. The inaugural edition is the beginning of that journey. Over time, we want to expand WIFS’s international presence, connect different markets and regions, and create new formats for content, networking, and business.

As the women’s football industry continues to evolve, WIFS should evolve with it, creating a platform that reflects the needs of the market and helps connect the people shaping its next chapter.

Finally, when someone leaves WIFS after two days, what do you hope they will take with them?

We hope they leave with three things: knowledge, connections, and new possibilities.

A broader perspective on where women’s football is heading, meaningful connections with people who can become future partners or collaborators, and a clearer sense of the opportunities that exist within the market.

Ultimately, we want WIFS to create that moment when someone leaves the event thinking differently about what is possible in women’s football, and, more importantly, knowing who they can work with to make those possibilities happen.

FAQ

What is the Women’s International Football Summit?

The Women’s International Football Summit (WIFS) is an international event dedicated to the development, professionalization and visibility of women’s football.

When and where is WIFS 2026 taking place?

WIFS takes place on September 14–15, 2026 at Museu do Amanhã in Rio de Janeiro – Brasil.

Who is WIFS for?

WIFS is for clubs, federations, brands, industry leaders, decision-makers, entrepreneurs, service providers, and professionals working in or interested in the women’s football ecosystem.