Dubai, UAE 28/JAN/2026 — The Argentine Football Association (AFA) continues to advance its international expansion strategy through a high-level visit to Dubai, reinforcing commercial ties and moving forward with key long-term projects in the Middle East.
The delegation was led by Leandro Petersen, Chief Commercial & Marketing Officer of AFA, who headed an agenda of strategic meetings with sports, business, and media leaders, reflecting AFA’s commitment to strengthening its global presence beyond the pitch.
Strategic Meetings with Sports Leaders
During the visit, AFA held meetings with leading institutions including the Dubai Sports Council and Coca-Cola Arena, strengthening cooperation in sports development, events, and international partnerships.
These meetings highlighted the strong positioning of Argentine football as a global brand and its growing relevance in the Middle East’s sports and entertainment ecosystem.
AFA Tower: A Landmark Project Moving Forward with Prestige One
One of the most important milestones of the visit was the progress made on the AFA Tower, a landmark real estate and sports-lifestyle project being developed in partnership with Prestige One Developments.
The official event took place at the JW Marriott Marquis Dubai, hosted by Ajmal Saifi, CEO of Prestige One. During the event, it was confirmed that the land for the AFA Tower has already been purchased, marking a major step forward in the realization of the project and demonstrating the strong commitment of both parties to its development.
The gathering brought together business leaders, media representatives, and members of the Argentine community in Dubai, who joined the AFA delegation to support the initiative and learn more about the project’s scope and impact.
The AFA Tower is envisioned as a landmark destination that will combine football, culture, innovation, and lifestyle, featuring interactive experiences, training and educational spaces, commercial areas, and hospitality components. The project aims to become a global reference point for Argentine football and a symbol of its international reach.
“The Gulf region is a strategic market for AFA, not only because of its passion for football, but also due to its vision, innovation, and global outlook. Collaborating with partners such as Prestige One Developments and Evest allows us to create meaningful platforms for dialogue, partnership, and long-term value creation that extend far beyond sport.The AFA would like to extend its special thanks to Ajmal Saifi, commercial partner and AFA representative in the Middle East, for his support in the development of the National Teams’ commercial projects in the region.”,quote Leandro Petersen.
Media Engagement at Burj Khalifa with Evest
The visit also included an exclusive media engagement held at a high-floor venue in the Burj Khalifa, attended by more than 50 journalists and media representatives.
The event served as a platform to strengthen dialogue with Evest, a global financial technology and investment platform, and to explore future collaboration opportunities aligned with AFA’s international expansion and brand strategy.
AFA’s Global Vision
This visit to Dubai reflects AFA’s broader vision of building long-term, sustainable partnerships across key international markets. Through strategic projects such as the AFA Tower, high-level institutional engagement, and strong media presence, AFA continues to position itself as a forward-thinking global football organization.
With the Middle East playing an increasingly important role in global sports, AFA’s growing footprint in the region marks a significant step in expanding the global influence of Argentine football.
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