THAT WAS STANDS CONFERENCE 2026
Where football, culture and creativity come together. A gathering for the people building culture through football, fashion, music, design and community. Made for those shaping what comes next.
Speakers
Gareth Farrelly
Union of European Clubs
CEO
Pavel Kolev
Union of European Clubs
Director of Operations
Armand Farsi
Fanatics
GM Germany
Lisa Währer
FC Viktoria Berlin
Co-Founder
Tobias Pfeiffer-Kropp
Kapten & Son GmbH
VP Commercial
Manu Thiele
Journalist, Content Creator
Johannes Axster
STREETZ
Founder
Philipp Bohner
Bundesliga Media GmbH
Head of Licensing
Claudia Hartung
SV Werder Bremen GmbH & Co KG aA
Team Lead Marketing & Markenaktivierung
Josephine Ballon
HateAid
CEO
Ann Rheinheimer
myProtectify, Speaker
CEO
Musa Okwonga
Stadio Podcast
Host
Anna Hartmann
Cosnova
Team Lead Global Influencer Marketing
Trisha Lewis
Romance FC LTD
Founding Manager
Liam Miller
The Culture Division
Co-Founder & Editorial Director
Vittorio Moro
The Culture Division
Creative Director & Photographer
Ryan Hunn
Stadio
Co-Founder
Paul Rayment
Footballco
PR Lead & Podcast Producer
Andrew Weber
Indie Football
Founder & Creative Consultant
Lisa Tellers
DAZN, ARD Sportschau
TV-Host
Jermain Raffington
JAYRAFF
Film Director, Creative Storyteller, Executive Producer
Marvin Willoughby
Hamburg Towers
General Manager & Sports Director
Franziska Muller von der Ahé
Glutamat.co
CEO
Erdem Aglar
TRXBE GmbH
CEO
Jan Borgmann
BSC Young Boys AG
Head of Merchandising & Licensing
Asad Raza
MUNDIAL Magazine
Editor in Chief
Felicia Mutterer
FC Viktoria 1889 Berlin Frauen-Fußball GmbH
CEO / Co-Founder
David Bellion
Passion Fruit
Creative Director
Christian Hauke
HBO Max | Warner Bros. Discovery
Director Partnerships, Growth Marketing & Media
Afram Kakur
VfB Stuttgart 1893 AG
Director Brand & Experience
Charlie Copsey
Underground Fan Club
CEO | Founder
Christoph Köchy
International Socca Federation
President
Edwin Okyere
Jung von Matt
Global Client Service Director
Heiner Kuhlmann
Spotify
Director Marketing
Jeff Staple
STAPLE & Reed Art Department
Founder
Katharine Curran
Monarch Collective
Investor
Keane Pearce Shaw
Soccerbible
Creative Director
Maggie Murphy
Aston Villa Women FC
Managing Director
Malte Schruth
Football Culture & Marketing Strategist & PhD Researcher Sport Sociology
Martin Drust
FC St. Pauli
Brand Lead
Mathew Davis
Saturdays Football
Founder
Micha Fritz
Viva con Agua
Joker & Co Founder
Mick McConnell
Designer. Architect of Culture. Formerly of Airbnb, Samsung, Wework
Patrick Mushatsi-Kareba
FC St. Pauli
Geschäftsführer
PIMF
lagunenstyles
Rapper & Creator
Rachel Etse
Rachel Etse UG
Cultural Anthropologist & Anti-racism educator
Rich Orosco
Los Angeles Football Club (LAFC)
Chief Brand Officer
Rogelio Vega
Seattle Sounders FC & Reign FC
Chief Marketing Officer
Sophie Florian
Head of Industry, Beauty & Sports
Steffi Kim
KIMKOM
Director Communications
Sunniva Ferri
SUNNIVA FERRI
Communication Strategist & WNBA Manager
Trunk Tamás
NEW UNIVERSE / WHYWEDREAM
Founder, new gen advisor
Vincent Brass
Amsterdam Berlin
Creative Director & Managing Partner
AGENDA
THE PROGRAM FOR FRIDAY. JUST CLICK FOR MORE INFORMATIONS ON THE TALK, PANEL OR FIRESIDE-CHAT!
When a Collaboration Becomes Culture
Jeff Staple has collaborated with Hiroshi Fujiwara, Wu-Tang Clan, André 3000, and brands including Nike, Timberland, PUMA and Coca-Cola - not to mention creating one of the most iconic sneakers of all time, the Staple Pigeon Dunk - but never with a football club. His first collaboration with FC St. Pauli marks more than another product launch. It represents a moment where one of street culture's most influential designers and one of football's most culturally distinctive clubs chose to build something together. This conversation explores why some collaborations become cultural moments while others remain marketing campaigns, and what it takes to create work that communities genuinely choose toadopt. With: Jeff Staple, Ryan McLaughlin (Moderation)
Building Identity Beyond the Badge
For the world's most culturally relevant clubs, success is measured by far more than trophies or league tables. They are building identities that shape neighborhoods, influence fashion, inspire artists and create communities that extend well beyond ninety minutes on matchday. From Los Angeles to Hamburg, the clubs leading this shift understand that brand is no longer about a crest or a campaign, it's about belonging. What does it take to build a football club that people want to identify with, even when they're nowhere near the stadium? This opening conversation explores how football organizations are redefining what it means to become cultural institutions, balancing commercial growth with authenticity while remaining deeply rooted in the communities that gave them their identity in the first place. With: Rich Orosco, Martin Drust, Asad Raza
When Brands Stop Sponsoring Culture and Start Building It
another collaboration, another capsule collection, another campaign. But as collaborations become the default growth strategy, genuine cultural impact has become harder to achieve. What separates partnerships that communities genuinely embrace from those that simply borrow credibility? Bringing together perspectives from football, global brands and the creative industries, this conversation explores how collaborations can move beyond marketing and become part of culture itself. With: Rogelio Vega, Vincent Brass, Franziska von der Ahé, Till Jagla, Ryan McLaughlin (Moderation)
Why Do We Still Become Fans?
For generations, fandom was inherited. You supported your local club because your family did. Today, fandom is increasingly chosen rather than inherited, shaped by music, creators, women's sport, digital communities and entirely new ways of belonging. While clubs compete for attention, fans are redefining what loyalty actually looks like. This conversation brings together perspectives from football, music and women's sport to explore how communities are built, why different generations connect in different ways, and what every organization can learn from the world's most passionate fans. With: Heiner Kuhlmann, Sunniva Ferri, Afram Kakur, Charlie Copsey, Aissu Diallo
Creating Places Worth Belonging To
In an increasingly digital world, the most memorable experiences are still physical. While brands compete for attention online, the organizations that create genuine belonging understand the enduring power of shared spaces, rituals and human connection. Drawing on Airbnb's work at the intersection of design, hospitality and community, Mick McConnell explores how experiences can be intentionally designed to foster participation, loyalty and emotional connection. His perspective offers valuable lessons for football clubs seeking to transform supporters into communities, and stadiums into places people feel they belong.With: Mick McConnell
Every Shirt Tells a Story
A football shirt has become one of culture's most powerful canvases. Some commemorate history. Others celebrate communities, collaborate with artists or become fashion statements in their own right. Increasingly, the shirt is no longer just something supporters wear on matchday - it's how clubs communicate who they are. From independent creators and collectors to football clubs experimenting with design, collaborations and women's collections, this conversation explores how the football shirt evolved from performance apparel into one of sport's most recognizable cultural artifacts. With: Jan Borgmann, Mat Davis, Claudia Hartung, Felicia Mutterer, Asad Raza
Building a Creative Club
Football clubs increasingly compete not only on the pitch, but for cultural attention. Some of the most influential clubs today aren't simply investing in players—they're investing in artists, musicians, designers and filmmakers. The result isn't just better marketing. It's a different kind of football organization. Patrick Mushatsi-Kareba and Jonas Weber come from very different worlds, yet both have spent their careers building platforms where creativity and community reinforce one another. This conversation explores what football can learn from modern creative culture, why clubs should think more like cultural institutions, and how collaboration creates long-term relevance rather than short-term attention. With: Patrick Mushatsi-Kareba, Jonas Weber, Niko Backspin
Can Products Create Culture?
Some products become collectibles. Others become symbols of belonging. Whether it's footwear, football shirts, music or entirely new manufacturing methods, the strongest products don't simply solve problems, they tell stories people want to become part of. This discussion explores how design, innovation and product thinking can shape communities, influence identity and become powerful cultural touchpoints. With: Michael Krause, Heiner Kuhlmann, Paul Rayment, Tamas Trunk, Niko Backspin
Culture Doesn't Need Permission
Some of the most interesting cultural moments aren't created inside agencies or marketing departments. They emerge when brands, creators and communities build something people genuinely want to participate in. From fashion collaborations and street basketball to entertainment launches and independent creative projects, culture increasingly grows through unlikely partnerships rather than traditional campaigns. This conversation explores how organizations can earn cultural relevance without forcing it and why the best collaborations feel less like marketing and more like movements. With: Christian Hauke, Stefanie Kim, Franziska von der Ahé, Michael Kümmerle, Aissu Diallo
Clubs That Build People
Some clubs measure success in trophies. Others measure success in what they leave behind. Beyond results on the pitch, football clubs have become places where young people find opportunity, communities find belonging, and cities build identity. This conversation explores how clubs can become lasting social institutions, why youth development extends far beyond producing professional players, and what responsibility sport has in shaping the next generation. With: Marvin Willoughby, David Bellion, Rachel Etse, Malte Schruth, Lisa Tellers
What Will Football Mean Next?
The next generation won't inherit football in the same way previous generations did. They're growing up with creator leagues, social football, seven-a-side competitions, gaming, music and digital communities influencing the game as much as traditional institutions. This conversation explores how football culture is evolving, what today's young fans value, and how the sport can remain culturally relevant for the generations shaping its future. With: Christoph Köchy, David Bellion, Kath Curran, Pete Martin, Johannes Axster