Buenos Aires, Argentina (February 3, 2026) — We Are Innovation just unveiled a new briefing paper on a somewhat distinct topic—innovation in sports. The document focuses particularly on football in the Americas, exploring three main strategic possibilities: how River Plate, the major Argentinian club, can scale globally, how the Copa Libertadores could expand to include MLS and Liga MX to capture hundreds of millions of new fans and boost competitiveness, and how a compressed Argentine League could improve quality and international broadcasting value.
Many European teams and leagues have already found ways of seizing football’s popularity through implementing new ways of making money while helping teams succeed. However, the same does not happen in the Americas, where the sport is equally relevant. In this report, Federico N. Fernández, the CEO of We Are Innovation, offers some insights on how applying an innovative outlook to football could unlock new revenue streams and strengthen club and league sustainability across the continent.
In the first section, the author examines how River Plate could elevate its unique advantages through five strategic opportunities: premium documentary content, digital membership, multi-club networks, stadium infrastructure and academic networks. The team has an extraordinary potential, encompassing a strong local fanbase, wide social media following across platforms, young talents, and a world class 85,000 seat stadium where world champions choose to play. Taking inspiration from examples coming from European clubs and even from other sports like Formula 1, this section demonstrates how betting on bold ideas – like creating a documentary, offering membership options to fans outside of Argentina, getting ownership stakes in foreign clubs seeking South American talent, capitalizing on Estadio Monumental’s technical privileges, and developing organized youth systems—could grant River Plate robust revenues and a key role in the international football scene.
The second section, in turn, is oriented towards reforms in CONMEBOL and CONCACAF competitions. It suggests three specific reforms: the compression of Argentina’s Primera División to 18 professional teams, continental tournament expansion to include Mexican and American clubs in Copa Libertadores, and the competitive pressure mechanisms that drive institutional excellence. The advice is based on real-life evidence of leagues that are succeeding through applying similar principles.
Argentina’s current league consists of a maze of 30 teams and eight separate titles that confuses the audience and makes following difficult—compressing it to 18 teams would make accompaniment more simple and avoid unnecessary losses in revenue. Expanding to Liga MX and MLS teams would open Copa Libertadores to two significantly vast and populous markets with sizeable economies, bringing elite players to the tournament, increasing viewership and having a positive impact on national competitiveness due to club diversity. Finally, there is an opportunity for American clubs to adopt new training methodologies, tactical systems, and institutional structures that enhance performance against several competitors – weak domestic leagues do not stimulate pressure or catalyze strategy, competitive leagues do.
Federico N. Fernández, the author, shares his core view on the report’s topic, “Football in the Americas has everything needed to compete with Europe—the passion, the talent, and markets worth $30 trillion in GDP that remain largely untapped. What we lack is the right structure to turn those advantages into real revenue and sustained competitive strength. An Americas-wide Copa Libertadores that brings together South America’s technical brilliance with North America’s economic power could surpass the Champions League.”
We Are Innovation hopes this report serves as a catalyst for River Plate and American leagues to rethink how they create value, get fans hooked, and compete globally. Football in the Americas holds unmatched potential: the passion of the South, the scale of the North, and a continent-wide audience ready to be activated. No other region combines culture, talent, and market power at this magnitude. By embracing a business-driven mindset, the region can secure a future that is more competitive, more sustainable, and more successful,both on and off the pitch.
ENDS
ABOUT WE ARE INNOVATION
We Are Innovation is a dynamic network of individuals and institutions who deeply believe in innovation’s power to drive progress and solve the world’s most pressing problems. With over 50 think tanks, foundations, and NGOs based worldwide, We Are Innovation represents the diverse voices of a global civil society committed to advancing human creativity, adopting new technologies, and promoting innovative solutions. Through our collaborative approach and cutting-edge expertise, we are driving global transformative change. To learn more about our work, visit us at https://www.weareinnovation.global/.
