How can a football club grow its international presence without losing its connection to its local community and fans? This was the main question behind the panel “From Local Roots to the world”, held on the Innovation Stage at Social Football Summit 2026, at the Allianz Stadium in Turin. The discussion featured Gaetano Lombardo, Chief Marketing & Communications Officer at Palermo FC, José Ángel Risco Oliva, Head of Digital Content at Sevilla FC, and Stijn Deldime, representing RSC Anderlecht, with Sky Sport journalist Gaia Accoto as moderator.
Three different football clubs facing a similar challenge: strengthening their local identity while reaching an increasingly international audience, in an industry where multi-club ownership groups are becoming more common.
Lombardo opened the discussion by explaining how Palermo FC aims to promote its pink-and-black identity through partnerships that go beyond football. One example is the collaboration with Brooks Brothers, presented in Milan, which brings together sport, fashion and entertainment. The goal is to build a global community where fans feel represented even when they are far from Sicily.
This approach is also linked to Palermo's membership of the City Football Group. According to Lombardo, being part of an international network allows the club to share knowledge, experiences and strategies from different markets without losing its own identity. This model reflects Sicily's history, which has always been shaped by the meeting of different cultures and influences.
Moving on to creativity, Deldime shared Anderlecht's experience. Around six or seven years ago, the Belgian club launched a new communication project by building an in-house multimedia team. This decision has helped the club create original content while maintaining a consistent communication style.
For Sevilla, one of the main challenges is engaging international fan communities through digital channels. Oliva explained how analysing data and followers has helped the club identify new opportunities, including a community in northern India, for which Sevilla has developed dedicated content.
The discussion then turned to the relationship between players, social media and club identity. Oliva highlighted how younger generations of footballers have grown up in the digital age, while Lombardo stressed the importance of helping players manage their public image. Footballers represent a valuable communication opportunity for clubs, as long as they can express their personalities authentically while understanding the values of the club they represent.
Another key topic was storytelling. Sevilla has made the motto “Never Give Up” part of its identity, including through a project in India focused on stories of resilience. For Deldime, Anderlecht's communication should go beyond sporting results, focusing instead on its fans and the multicultural identity of Brussels.
Finally, the discussion explored digital innovation and new ways of communicating. Oliva recalled how Sevilla was one of the first La Liga clubs to use TikTok, highlighting the value of young professionals in content creation. Deldime also stressed the importance of looking beyond football, drawing inspiration from the NBA, music and cycling to develop fresh creative ideas.
The panel ended with a shared message from all three speakers: build a recognisable communication strategy around a few core values, experiment with different formats and always maintain an authentic relationship with the community. An approach that allows clubs to grow globally without losing what makes them unique.