Sports and gaming are no longer separate entertainment categories. Across MENA, they are converging into interconnected ecosystems of fandom, content, community and commerce.

Hosted in the UAE, GAMEPLAN+ is a one-day regional forum bringing together the marketers, rights holders, leagues, federations, publishers, platforms, agencies, athletes, gamers and creators redefining how brands participate in these rapidly evolving spaces.

The event will examine how organisations can move beyond passive sponsorship and media exposure to build experiences that fans choose to join, share and sustain. Through regional insights, UAE market perspectives, case studies, debates, technology demonstrations and practical sessions, GAMEPLAN+ will explore partnership innovation, AI and fan data, creator-led culture, women’s commercial opportunity and new models for measuring return.

More than a sports-business conference or gaming-industry expo, GAMEPLAN+ is focused on the shared commercial challenge across both sectors: how brands can earn a meaningful role in the culture of fandom and translate that role into long-term value.

Key Discussion Areas:

PARTNERSHIP 2.0

• What replaces traditional logo-led sponsorship
• How brands and rights holders can co-create content, products and intellectual property
• Regional rights versus locally relevant activation
• Destination, tourism and city-brand partnerships through sport and gaming
• Building multi-year equity instead of one-off event visibility
• What non-endemic brands need to understand before entering gaming or sport

TECH, DATA & FAN EXPERIENCE

• How AI can personalise content, offers and live fan journeys
• Who owns fan data across brands, rights holders, platforms and ticketing providers?
• Using first-party data responsibly and protecting audience trust
• Interactive broadcast, second-screen and shoppable viewing experiences
• In-game advertising, virtual products and branded game environments
• Phygital experiences that connect digital competition with physical participation

FANDOM, CULTURE & CREATORS

• Why MENA cannot be treated as one homogeneous fan market
• Gen Z and Gen Alpha behaviours across sport, gaming and entertainment
• Athletes, gamers and creators as media properties
• Building communities between major events and tournament seasons
• Arabic language, dialect, humour and cultural localisation
• Moving from influencer reach to creator-led intellectual property

INCLUSIVE GROWTH

• Women’s sport and gaming as commercial growth categories
• Designing partnerships around female fans rather than adapting male-first models
• Increasing women’s visibility in leadership, commentary, production and competition
• Grassroots investment and pathways from participation to profession
• Accessibility and experiences designed for different communities
• Avoiding tokenism in representation and purpose-led partnerships

COMMERCIAL IMPACT & ROI

• Defining the business objective before buying sponsorship rights
• Measuring beyond impressions, logo exposure and equivalent media value
• Connecting live attendance, broadcast, social, gaming and creator impact
• Brand-building versus short-term conversion
• Sponsorship attribution and incrementality
• Fan lifetime value, loyalty, CRM, ticketing and commerce
• Building a measurement framework that both brands and rights holders trust

WHO ATTENDS

• Built for Decision-Makers
• CMOs & Marketing Leaders
• Brand Directors & Sponsorship Heads
• Sports Federations & Rights Holders
• Gaming Platforms & Tech Companies
• Agencies & Media Buyers
• Creators, Athletes & Streamers
• Government & Investment Stakeholders
• Startups & Innovation Leaders

A curated audience shaping the future of culture, entertainment, technology, and brand-building!

The Voices Leading What’s Next

GAMEPLAN+ brings together leading marketers, sports executives, gaming innovators, creators, and cultural disruptors shaping the future of sports and gaming in the region.

Partner With GAMEPLAN+

Not standard sponsorship.
It’s is ecosystem building.

Partnership opportunities include:

• Partnership opportunities include:
• Event Co-Branding
• Main Stage Presence
• Agenda Collaboration
• Media Exposure
• Content Integration
• Thought Leadership
• Strategic Networking
• Long-Term Industry Impact

Date: 21 October 2026
Location: UAE