Soccer Diplomacy: A Fireside Chat with Jeff Berding

June 8, 2026 @ 5:30PM — 7:00PM Eastern Time (US & Canada) Add to Calendar

TQL Stadium : 1501 Central Pkwy Cincinnati, OH 45214 Get Directions

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Kick off Your Week With FC Cincinnati Co-CEO!

Network with National Leaders Gathering in Cincinnati

Join us on June 8 for an exclusive Fireside Chat with Jeff Berding, Co-CEO of FC Cincinnati and member of the FIFA World Soccer Committee. This featured keynote explores how elite sport serves as a powerful engine for economic growth and international diplomacy, transforming Cincinnati into a world-class global city. Jeff will share his "Berding Blueprint" for leveraging soft power and global talent networks to bridge the gap between local impact and transnational influence. To celebrate this connection between the global and the grassroots, the Council will donate FIFA official soccer balls to a local youth program in Jeff’s honor. Don’t miss this opportunity to hear from the visionary leader redefining what it means for a city to stay "globally connected. The event will serve cocktails and lite bites, with a chance for attendees to tour the stadium.

This premier keynote serves as the opening event for the World Affairs Council of America's 2026 Council Leadership Meeting hosted locally by World Affairs Council - Cincinnati & Northern Kentucky. From June 8-10, CEOs and board members from across the country will gather in our region to engage in impactful discussions designed to spark innovation and global connectivity. Let's show the nation how we unite and our unique story!

About Jeff Berding:

Jeff Berding is President and Co-CEO of FC Cincinnati, who, with Carl H. Lindner III, founded the club as a USL franchise in 2015. With three seasons of record-setting success on and off the field in the USL, Berding led the club’s expansion efforts that successfully resulted in the club’s ascension to Major League Soccer for the 2019 season, the opening of TQL Stadium in 2021 and the team’s Supporters’ Shield victory in 2023.

Prior to founding FCC, Berding spent more than 19 years as an executive with the Cincinnati Bengals where he led the Sales and Public Affairs efforts for the NFL team. He was elected to three At-Large terms and served six years on the Cincinnati City Council.

Berding has a long history of leadership in his community, including roles as President of FCC Foundation; Chairman of Visit Cincy, the local visitors’ bureau; Co-Chair of the Cincinnati Regional Business Committee; and serving on the Board of Trustees for the Cincinnati Art Museum, St. Xavier High School and Xavier University. Berding has volunteered with the Greater Cincinnati Chamber of Commerce for20+ years. He has been the recipient of numerous civic awards, including a spot among the top 100 leaders in history of the local United Way; the 2006 “40 Under 40” from the Cincinnati Business Courier; featured at the 2018 Hispanic Chamber Cincinnati USA’s Annual Gala; awarded the 2019 EY Entrepreneur of the Year, and the Cincinnati Business Courier’s 2024 CEO of the Year.

He is a fifth-generation Cincinnatian, born and raised in Westwood where he attended St. Xavier High School. He graduated cum laude from Miami University and earned his MBA from Xavier University with honors.
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