Organized by FootEx, Powered by Comparisonator and Supported by The Book of Scouting, Football Conference Istanbul will take place on 26–27 September 2026 at Fairmont Quasar Istanbul | Luna Ballroom, bringing together leading professionals from across international football for two days of discussions around scouting, recruitment, transfers, sporting management, data and artificial intelligence.
Under the theme BEYOND 90 MINUTES, the conference will explore the decisions and structures that shape football away from the pitch, with club executives, sporting directors, recruitment specialists and football professionals sharing perspectives from inside the professional game.
One of the opening-day sessions will look beyond the moment of a transfer itself and focus on a broader question: what happens after a player joins a club?
Beyond the Transfer: Building Players, Careers and Long-Term Value
26 September | 14:15–15:00 | Session 3
A successful transfer is not defined only by identifying the right player or completing the deal. For clubs, the real challenge often begins afterwards.
How is a player integrated into a new sporting environment? How can clubs support development while managing performance expectations? What structures are required to help players build sustainable careers? And how can sporting decisions create long-term value for both the player and the organisation?
These questions sit at the centre of modern football management.
This session will bring together professionals with experience across club leadership, sporting management, elite first-team environments, recruitment and player development to examine the different elements that contribute to building players and careers over time.
Ceyhun Kazancı — CEO, Kasımpaşa
Ceyhun Kazancı is CEO of Kasımpaşa and an experienced Turkish football executive. He previously served as Vice President of the Turkish Football Federation and held senior sporting responsibilities at Beşiktaş, including Sports Director. His experience covers recruitment, squad planning, transfers and club strategy. He is also a contributor to The Book of Scouting – Volume One.
Matteo Fabris — Team Manager, Juventus
Matteo Fabris is Team Manager at Juventus, with extensive experience inside an elite first-team environment. His work includes coordination between players, coaching staff and the wider football organisation, bringing a practical perspective on how clubs support players at the highest level.
Nicola Innocentin — Project Leader, Mahd Sports Academy “Elite Programme”
Nicola Innocentin is an international football executive with experience across Europe, North America and the Middle East. He currently leads the Mahd Sports Academy “Elite Programme” and previously served as Sporting Director of Al-Fateh FC and Head of Recruitment at Bologna FC 1909. He is also a contributor to The Book of Scouting – Volume One.
Moderated by Işıtan Gün
The session will be moderated by Işıtan Gün — Chairman of Panachaiki FC. A former Chairman of Fortuna Sittard, Gün brings experience in club ownership, sporting strategy, recruitment and financial sustainability. He is also a contributor to The Book of Scouting – Volume One. Together, the panel will explore how clubs can move beyond the transfer itself and create the right conditions for players to develop, perform and build long-term value. Because signing the player is only the beginning.
That conversation continues Beyond the Transfer.
Football Conference Istanbul by FootEx
26–27 September 2026
Fairmont Quasar Istanbul | Luna Ballroom
BEYOND 90 MINUTES
