CELEBRATING THE FIFTH EDITION OF SUNSET SPORTS FESTIVAL
From June 4 to 6, Zadar will once again become the hub of the global sports industry. The fifth edition of Sunset Sports Festival brings to Croatia an unprecedented concentration of world sports stars, television personalities, esports leaders, investors and entertainment industry representatives, cementing the festival as one of Europe’s most relevant meeting points for sport, technology, business and culture. This year’s official opening on June 4 at the renovated St. Nicholas complex will transform Zadar into an international television spectacle rarely seen in this part of Europe, bringing together leading names from world sport and the media industry for an exclusive panel with Alessandro Del Piero and the filming and announcement of the Sofascore Player of the Season awards for American CBS.
At the heart of the opening ceremony will be a panel on the future of Italian football, featuring legendary Alessandro Del Piero, World Cup winner and Juventus legend turned CBS Sports analyst, Michele Ciccarese, Serie A’s Director of Marketing and Commercial Affairs, and Marco Messina, CBS Sports’ Serie A analyst. The conversation will be moderated by Nico Cantor, one of the most recognisable faces of American sports television and a host for CBS Sports and Paramount+.
Following the panel, the ceremony will continue with the Sofascore Player of the Season Awards, an international sports awards ceremony to be filmed for American CBS. Last year’s unique television spectacle was watched by more than one million viewers. This is the only television event produced in Croatia for the American market.
The television spectacle will be hosted by Kate Scott, a two-time Emmy nominee and one of the most recognisable faces of CBS Sports, known for the UEFA Champions League Today show, alongside Alessandro Del Piero, one of the greatest footballers of his generation.
Following the opening ceremony in Zadar, the festival programme continues on June 5 and 6 at Falkensteiner Resort Punta Skala, where leading figures from sport, media, technology, investment and entertainment will gather for a series of panels, networking events and exclusive content.
Among the featured speakers is Judit Polgár, the greatest female chess player of all time, who will explore themes of mental strength, peak performance and decision-making under pressure in the Queen of Chess conversation, moderated by Anita Jones, a CBS and Paramount+ television presenter. Callum Williams from The Economist will examine how sport has transcended competition to become one of the world’s most valuable industries in the The Price of Passion: How Sports Became Luxury talk. Among the special guests on the Esports Stage this year are His Royal Highness Prince Omar bin Faisal, President of the Jordan Esports Federation, and Her Royal Highness Princess Sara bint Faisal Al Saud, Deputy Chairman of the Saudi Esports Federation.
Also joining the festival is Joel Morris, founder and CEO of Fanvue, one of the fastest-growing platforms in the digital creator and artificial intelligence industry.
A special focus of this year’s festival will be on leadership and the culture of success in elite sport. Current Croatian national handball team head coach Dagur Sigurðsson will speak about pressure, mentality and leading elite teams, while the Deadline Madness: Surviving the Football Transfer Window panel will offer a behind-the-scenes look at the modern football market through the experiences of football agent and CEO of Niagara Sports Company Andy Bara and Petra Pocrnić Perica, a judge at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
The combat sports segment of the programme features the The Rise of a Fight Empire / FNC Goes Global, panel, dedicated to the growth of the regional MMA scene and the internationalisation of combat sports. Featuring Darko Stošić, one of the most famous regional MMA fighters, and Dražen Forgač, founder and president of Fight Nation Championship (FNC), with the conversation moderated by television presenter and sports journalist Valentina Miletić.
Another innovative highlight of this year’s programme is The Sharks of Sunset, bringing the region’s most promising sports, esports and tech startups to Zadar. A new generation of entrepreneurs will present their solutions to investors, VC funds and industry leaders, with the best startup earning the title of “Shark of Sunset” and the opportunity for exclusive meetings with the region’s leading investors. Among the investors, there will be Pedja Predin from Fifth Quarter Ventures, Stjepko Čordaš from Hellen’s Rock and Nils Sterenborg from Powerplay One.
Beyond the international conference programme, Sunset Sports Festival this year leaves its mark on the city itself through projects connecting sport, art and the local community. In collaboration with American artist and founder of the Play in Color, Shelton Hawkins, the City of Zadar and Sunset Sports Festival are participating in the renovation of Kapetanski Park in Zadar, demonstrating how sport and creativity can create lasting value for citizens and public spaces. At the From Courts to Canvas: Transforming the Game Through Art panel, Hawkins will speak about how sport today transcends the field of play to become an important part of contemporary art, urban identity and community culture
The beginning of June is reserved for Zadar and a meeting with global stars. More information about the programme and speakers of the fifth edition of the festival can be found on social media: Facebook, Instagram and Linkedin, while tickets are available via this link.
