The basics:

• ‘Global Game’ summit held at Prudential Center in Newark
• Focus on soccer‘s evolution in tech, media and business
• Gov. Murphy discusses local impact of FIFA events
• FIFA Club World Cup, 2026 World Cup projected to create 290K jobs, billions in economic output

NJBIZ was on the scene at the Prudential Center in Newark Thursday for the inaugural “The Global Game: The Future of Soccer, Tech, & Media Summit.”

The July 10 event brought together top executives and thought leaders from across these sectors for a day of panel discussions, networking and more.

Of course, it comes at a key time, as New Jersey stands at the epicenter of the soccer world. The Garden State has hosted key matches throughout this year’s inaugural FIFA Club World Cup, including the Final on Sunday at MetLife Stadium. For next year’s 2026 FIFA World Cup, MetLife will host eight matches and that Final as well.

“This is an enormous economic opportunity for us all,” said Greg Kahn, CEO of GK Digital Ventures, who co-founded the summit. “FIFA Club World Cup 2025 and World Cup 2026 are expected to deliver $47 billion economic output in the U.S. – and add $62 billion to global gross domestic product. It has also been estimated that 290,000 jobs will be created here in the U.S. as a result of FIFA’s flagship events.

“Soccer will not only take place in the stadium – it will also take place through media and technology,” Kahn added. “We’ve an assembled an incredible group of leaders today to talk about the many dimensions of the game of soccer and the ecosystem around it.”

One of those leaders included Gov. Phil Murphy, who delivered the welcome address.

‘Soccer capital of the world’

“It gives me great pride to say – welcome to New Jersey, the soccer capital of the world,” said Murphy. “And it wasn’t that long ago that that statement would have been, to say the least, far-fetched. But today, it is undeniable.”

Murphy spoke about the Club World Cup Final – which will pit Chelsea against Paris Saint Germain. He then discussed next year’s World Cup, which will feature an expanded field of 48 teams and 104 matches. And as NJBIZ has reported, New Jersey and the surrounding areas will host a slew of activations and special events, such as the official Fan Fest at Liberty State Park in Jersey City.

“We think the economic impact is mid, single-digit billions of dollars,” said Murphy. “We think 1 [million] to 2 million visitors will be in the region – about [14,000] to 15,000 jobs will be created.”

The buzz was evident in the room with excitement about what is happening in this space – and what is to come.

Please stay with NJBIZ for further coverage from this inaugural summit.