On June 3rd, Rockefeller Plaza in New York City played host to the 12th annual Opta Forum, and the very first on U.S. soil. It was a gathering of top global and U.S. sports media, broadcast, technology, commercial, and content executives, all with a similar goal: how to capitalize on the opportunity for soccer in the U.S. to burst into the mainstream, and stay there. If there was one unifying theme across the day, it’s that U.S. soccer is on the cusp of a defining moment – and the time to capitalize on it, and ignite a new wave of fandom, is now.
The Opta Forum 2025 was a huge success!
Stats Perform brought together some of the sports media industry’s brightest minds to discuss trends in data-led storytelling, monetization, and the enormous opportunity for soccer in the U.S.
With the 2026 FIFA World Cup on the horizon, panelists and presenters shared how their organizations are using data and AI to meet evolving audience demands, and how the rising momentum of soccer in the U.S. presents a once-in-a-generation opportunity to reimagine how fans are reached, stories are told, and revenue is grown.
Over the course of an insight-packed day, attendees heard from diverse panels covering real-world use cases and practical applications to help them succeed.
Here are a few key takeaways and insights from the industry experts who took to the stage at the event’s twelfth edition.
In this dynamic session, leaders from media, apps, and storytelling platforms explored how players – not leagues or teams – are now the key to building fan relationships, driving revenue, and scaling sports brands. Matias Høibraaten, Scott Debson, Erik Bursch and Opta Analyst’s Kevin Chroust discussed the shift to player-first storytelling, the power of data and ratings in fuelling deeper connections, and how local heroes can explode into global recognition. Whether it’s a previously unknown player earning a perfect 10 rating on FotMob or using storytelling to promote a homegrown hero in the making, the message was clear: turning players into stars drives engagement, loyalty, and legacy.
“It’s not enough to just sit down and watch 90 minutes of a football match anymore. They need to have more reasons to engage with it.”
A fast-paced session tackling how YouTube is reshaping global soccer fandom. From club growth strategies to creator-led communities and sponsorship innovation, Mark Goldbridge, Anna Faller, Ed Abis, and Robbie Spargo explored how YouTube has become a new primary platform for live content, long-form storytelling, and revenue generation. Whether you’re a club, brand, or rights holder, the message was clear – creators and soccer communities are no longer just “digital,” they’re your new media powerhouses.
“The younger audience is looking for personality-led content – it’s not watch us watch the game, it’s watch the game with us.”
Rachel Bachman, Kerry Bradley and Julie Fogarty took to the stage with Stats Perform’s Louise Beltrame-Bawden to discuss the latest trends in women’s soccer, and women’s sports in the U.S. more broadly. They covered women’s soccer’s passionate, diverse and new fan bases, its soaring team valuations, its impressive ability to attract and cater for new sponsors, and the rise of new heroes capturing imaginations around the world. They also shared fascinating, but differing views on whether women’s sport should be treated differently to men’s sport. This is a session not to be missed.
“Investors are putting tens of millions of dollars into permanent facilities for women’s soccer, which is the best possible sign it’s here to stay.”
Recently-retired MLS star Quentin Westberg lit up the Opta Forum stage with Matthieu Lille-Palette from Stats Perform to give a candid and refreshing view of soccer’s growth in the U.S. from a player’s perspective, and how sports data and content can be used to help elevate player performances and profiles, on- and off-the-pitch. Vital viewing for anyone interested in the power of athlete storytelling to raise a team or league profile.
“The World Cup is the opportunity for fans in the U.S. to connect emotionally with the sport of soccer.”
This insightful panel examined how sponsorship has evolved from traditional logos and sponsored hoardings into comprehensive, storytelling-driven brand activations that span the entire funnel. Stats Perform’s Alex Roberts led the discussion, joined on stage by Alex Kopilow, Jonathan Steel and Hendrik Stich, where the topics ranged from activating rights packages across hundreds of touchpoints to aligning brand purpose with authentic fan experiences. With examples from UEFA Player of the Match to heat map-based deodorant campaigns and the power of creator-led activations, the panelists highlighted what modern sponsors really want: measurable impact, emotional connection, and storytelling that cuts through the noise.
“If you’re a sponsor or brand and you have not started planning for the 2026 FIFA World Cup yet, you’re behind. Today is the best day to start planning.”
Football DataCo’s Mark Bowden joined Stats Perform’s Niall Hendry to explain how the Premier League uses data as a vital storytelling component across its live broadcasts, studio shows and digital channels to grow reach and fan interest for the Premier League worldwide. He covered the importance of having the right insight for the right in-game moment, explaining that data has a short ‘half-life’ because soccer doesn’t stop; and how AI empowers more people to provide expert storytelling, expanding volumes and reach.
“It’s important to make sure metrics and content are ‘algo-fit’ and not just market-fit.”
In an illuminating session, Opta’s Data Analysis Lead, Jonny Whitmore, examined Opta’s latest football metrics and stats, including those fueled by AI in Opta Vision. He explained it’s not about more stats or bigger stats – it’s about turning the data into better stories. But how do sport’s best creators achieve this? How does Opta ensure new stats pass the “friend test”? And what new insight do they provide for fans?
“2/3 of people are visual learners – it’s incredibly important we tap into that and make the most of that opportunity with visuals that don’t just show numbers, they tell stories.”
In this forward-looking session, Jonathan Martinez and Stats Perform’s Stefano Faccendini explored how their region-wide partnership with Opta is transforming storytelling, development, and visibility. From elevating youth and women’s competitions to democratizing data access across emerging and elite football nations, the session revealed how data is being used to drive long-term investment, coaching development, and fan engagement. The conversation also touched on how equal access to match data is not just levelling the playing field – it’s inspiring a new generation of analysts, broadcasters, and athletes across North and Central America and the Caribbean.
“This is the next step in the evolution of Concacaf – not only the data, but how we present it and how we give it to fans, broadcasters, sponsors, coaches… everyone. Now we’re able to provide pre-match reports, post-match reports, halftime reports – all things we weren’t doing before.”
If there was one unifying theme across the day, it’s that U.S. soccer is on the cusp of a defining moment – and the time to capitalize on it, and ignite a new wave of fandom, is now.
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