Since its inception in June 2009, World Football INSIDER has become a leader in coverage of the multi-billion dollar international football industry.
Published by Around the Rings, the pre-eminent source of news about the Olympic Movement, World Football INSIDER carries on the tradition of quality, in-depth reporting for which Around the Rings is acclaimed.
“We saw the need for a reputable publication about the business of international football,” says Publisher Sheila Hula about the formation of World Football INSIDER.
“Because football is an Olympic sport, it was a logical extension of our brand, which is already accepted as the industry leader worldwide,” Hula says.
World Football INSIDER is a primary source of news about preparations for the FIFA World Cups. We provided comprehensive coverage of the 2010 edition in South Africa, the first World Cup on African soil, and are reporting week in week out on the 2014, 2018 and 2022 World Cups in Brazil Russia and Qatar. Over the last two years, INSIDER led the way in our comprehensive coverage of the unprecedented contest among 10 different bids for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups.
In the short history of INSIDER, correspondents have reported from from around the globe including Kuala Lumpur, London, Moscow, Nyon, Rio de Janeiro, South Africa and Zurich. We provide on-the scene reporting of all major football business events.
INSIDER delivers the inside line on FIFA, its 208 member associations and the business of the six continental confederations, as well as the sponsors of the Beautiful Game.
World Football INSIDER is required reading for anyone following the global football movement.
Ed Hula - Founder, Managing Editor Bio (Expand/Collapse):
- Ed Hula founded World Football Insider in 2009 with the idea of creating a publication to serve the information needs of the leaders and devotees of the sport.
As managing editor he supervises the long-range editorial direction of the publication.
Hula is renowned as editor and founder of Around the Rings, the premier source of news and analysis for the Olympic Movement since 1992. In that time he has covered every Olympic Games and all major IOC meetings, a near-unrivalled continuity.
In addition to his work guiding and writing for Around the Rings, he is regularly quoted by news organizations worldwide such as CNN and the BBC as an expert on the Olympics.
Before forming Around the Rings, Hula was a journalist for 20 years in radio and television.
Mark Bisson – Editor Bio (Expand/Collapse):
- WFI editor Mark Bisson brings more than a decade’s experience in sports journalism to the website. As editor, he is responsible for the daily editorial content of World Football Insider.
He is also European editor of Around the Rings, WFI’s sister publication which focuses on the business of the Olympic Movement.
His football resume includes work for leading publications such as Soccerex Business, SportBusiness International and Host City magazines and he has contributed to the website of Major League Soccer’s Chicago Fire.
For five years Bisson served as editor of Stadia magazine, the international review of sports venue architecture. He covered preparations for the 2002 FIFA World Cup in Japan-Korea and UEFA’s European Football Championships, Holland-Belgium 2000, Portugal 2004 and Austria-Switzerland 2008.
One of his proudest achievements while working on the magazine was interviewing Brazilian football legend Pele.
A Bolton Wanderers and Sparta Rotterdam fan, Mark is the author of The Football Fans’ Guide, published in the U.K. in 2007. Comprehensively researched, the book includes guides to every English Premiership and Football League club, their grounds and the cities in which they are located.
Sheila Hula – Publisher Bio (Expand/Collapse):
- Sheila Hula is in her 13th year as publisher of Around the Rings and more recently World Football Insider. She directs the marketing and advertising activities of both publications.
She spent nearly two years developing World Football Insider before overseeing the launch of the website in June 2009. Hula has extensive knowledge of news and media with experience in intellectual property.
Under her leadership, Around the Rings has grown from a four-page fax newsletter about the business of the Olympics to the publishing power house it is today.
Hula is an established figure who is well-liked throughout the world of elite sport.
Before taking over Around the Rings, she was the award-winning executive producer for CNN TravelGuide. She was one of CNN’s first employees, joining the fledgling network when it was just nine months old. She worked her way up from entry level researcher to executive producer, a position she held for 12 years.
Before joining CNN in 1981, Hula was a popular reporter and photographer for Northern Colorado’s largest daily newspaper. Her media experience also includes radio and weekly newspapers.
Peter Lewman - Chief Operating Officer Bio (Expand/Collapse):
- Peter Lewman possesses a wealth of knowledge in media and technology across 25 years of experience. As COO, he manages overall operations for World Football Insider which includes website development and operations, business development, marketing, financial controls, office operations and human resources.
For the past four years Lewman has held the post of COO at Around the Rings.
Lewman has worked at radio stations across the U.S. as production engineer, on-air talent, music director and program director. His business experience includes a 15-year career with MCI Telecommunications where he worked as a network design engineer rising to the post of senior manager of sales systems.
Phil Booker - Sales Director Bio (Expand/Collapse):
- Phil has worked closely within sport for over 10 years, including The Ryder Cup, The Sheffield FC Foundation (recognised by FIFA as The Worlds Oldest Football Club) and has established close commercial relationships with a wide variety of sports brands including Puma and Reebok. Additionally, he has headed up a number of non sport projects which has given him a thorough understanding of both online and offline sales and marketing.
To contact World Football Insider, please visit our Contact Us page.