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Kynisca Founder becomes the first woman to receive the award, recognizing her impact across football in Europe and North America.
MADRID (09/16/2026) — Michele Kang, Founder of Kynisca and Owner of the Washington Spirit, has received the 2026 World Football Summit Award for Best Executive, becoming the first woman in the award’s history to earn the honor.
Kang accepted the award last Tuesday evening at the WFS Awards in Madrid, following a day of programming that brought together thousands of leaders from across the global football industry.
The WFS Awards recognize the executives and organizations helping shape the future of the game. In selecting Kang, the jury highlighted her impact across both men’s and women’s football in Europe and North America, including her work to pioneer a global multi-club model built specifically for women’s football and her approach to building organizations for long-term performance and sustainability.
“I am deeply honoured to receive this recognition, especially knowing the extraordinary leaders who have come before me. The game is evolving quickly, on and off the pitch, and I believe its future will be shaped by leaders willing to challenge assumptions, invest with ambition and build for the long term,” said Kang. “To receive this recognition for my work across football, and to be the first woman to receive the award, is especially meaningful. I hope it also reflects the growing role women are playing in leading and shaping football at every level.”
Earlier in the day, Kang joined Chad Biagini, President of Excel Search & Advisory, for a fireside conversation as part of WFS Madrid’s Governance, Ownership & Leadership program.
The discussion explored Kang’s approach to leadership and ownership, the investment required to build sustainable football organizations, and the opportunity to rethink established models as the women’s game grows.
Kang launched Kynisca in 2024 as the first global multi-club organization dedicated exclusively to women’s football. Her broader work across the sport has centered on a consistent thesis: talent and demand have always existed in the women’s game. The opportunity now is to match them with the investment, leadership and infrastructure required to realize their full potential.
Previous recipients of the WFS Best Executive Award include Nasser Al-Khelaïfi, Fernando Carro, Ferran Soriano and Aleksander Čeferin.
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