Leading Dutch football organizations, including the KNVB, the Johan Cruijff ArenA, and AFC Ajax, have joined forces again to tackle joint challenges in the football industry. These organizations, have been involved in organizing previous Reimagine Football challenges spread over the past years. Reimagine Football started in 2020, when these organisations hosted a challenge on helping football to recover and grow beyond the impact of COVID-19 on football.
Previous challenges have focused on topics that are bigger than one organization. Reimagine Football is focused on joining forces, accelerating innovation, and creating transparency and collaboration. While football is a great sport in which innovations have many potential touchpoint, Reimagine Football broadens the scope in which topics such as sustainability, inclusivity, and fan experience are essential and innovation on these topics will be given the stage.
As a the biggest sports association of the Netherlands, a prominent football club in the highest Dutch football division, and a state-of-the-art multifunctional football stadium; KNVB, AFC Ajax and Johan Cruijff ArenA have a leading position and reach in the football-, sports-, events- and smart city- and smart building-industry. By joining forces, these organisations focus on bringing the football industry to the next level based on innovations, best practices, and (cross-industry) collaboration.
About the Reimagine Football hosts
KNVB
The Royal Netherlands Football Association KNVB with 1.2 million members is the biggest sports association in the country. The Royal Netherlands Football Association KNVB is synonymous with Dutch football. The KNVB is associated with the Oranje national teams, it organises the top-flight Eredivisie national league and it has lent its name to the Dutch Cup: the KNVB Beker. In addition, the KNVB offers competitions appropriate to the needs and preference of each and every football enthusiast in the Netherlands with more than 30.000 matches per week. For professionals and amateurs. On grass, artificial turf, indoor football pitches or in the streets, men, women, boys, girls, disabled; everybody can play the game at their level of ambition. The Dutch national team regularly plays matches in the Johan Cruijff ArenA.
Johan Cruijff ArenA
The Johan Cruijff ArenA is the football stadium of the Netherlands, home of AFC Ajax and the Dutch national team. It is also the multifunctional accommodation for large-scale, national and international music and dance events, as well as meetings on a smaller scale in (mainly) the business segment. These activities take place in close cooperation with various partners. High-quality services, state-of-the-art facilities, safety, and optimal public perception are the most important strategic pillars. The Johan Cruijff ArenA is one of the most sustainable stadiums in the world and is internationally regarded as a role model for modern stadium construction and exploitation.
johancruijffarenainnovation.nl
AFC Ajax
Founded on March 18, 1900 AFC Ajax is one of the largest and most storied clubs in European football. Ajax is also particularly famous for its renowned youth programme that has produced many Dutch talents over the years.
About the Eredivisie
The 18 Eredivisie clubs have been united in Eredivisie CV since 1997. The Eredivisie CV is the football organisation responsible for the further commercial, organisational, strategic and brand-based development of the highest league in The Netherlands, with the aim of achieving optimal sporting performance. Read more about all of Eredivisie CV’s initiatives at https://www.eredivisie.nl
