Khamani Wade RSBC’26 has steadily transformed a lifelong passion for sports into a budding career in the industry, taking advantage of professional opportunities and building early experience in both basketball and the sports business.
That trajectory led him last fall to the FIFA Rising Stars Academy, where he gained firsthand exposure to the global sports industry ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Philadelphia.
“It was an honor to be one of 24 students selected to participate in this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” Wade said. “To be able to get an insider’s view of one of the biggest sporting events in the world—and understanding how it comes to life through partnerships, logistics, and a focus on inclusion and fan experience—gave me a new perspective on my future in the sports industry.”
Hosted by Philadelphia Soccer 2026, the FIFA Rising Stars Academy is a professional development program designed to prepare college students for careers in sports. The immersive, three-week experience brought together students from across the region for hands-on learning in the sports business, event operations, community engagement, and legacy planning.
Participants attended executive-led workshops, visited major venues including Lincoln Financial Field, and collaborated on social impact projects. Each student was also paired with a mentor for six months of continued career development and networking support.
“The program genuinely expanded my understanding of business and taught me that it truly takes a village to bring an event as massive as the FIFA World Cup to life,” Wade said. “There are a multitude of local collaborators and businesses helping Philadelphia Soccer coordinate the logistical and operational aspects of the World Cup, and without those connections, it would be significantly more difficult to make everything work. Throughout the program, the significance of partnerships and collaboration was consistently reinforced and as a program participant you got to see the power of that in real time.”
One of the most impactful moments of Wade’s experience came during a group project focused on making the World Cup more inclusive for fans with disabilities, including those with mobility, vision, and hearing impairments.
Working alongside fellow participants, he helped develop ideas aimed at improving accessibility and enhancing the fan experience, while also exploring how emerging technology could reshape live sports engagement.
“As part of that project, I developed a virtual reality concept called ‘One View,’ designed to give fans the opportunity to experience major sports moments from a player’s perspective through accessibility-focused modes tailored for individuals with different disabilities,” Wade said.
He hopes to one day bring the concept to a broader audience within the sports industry.
The FIFA Rising Stars Academy was not Wade’s first opportunity to work with a major sports organization.
As a Rutgers–Camden student, he interned with the Philadelphia 76ers through a university partnership that provided hands-on experience in sports finance and operations. That internship ultimately launched his professional career with the organization, where he now works as a staff accountant.
Wade’s experiences with the Philadelphia 76ers and the FIFA Rising Stars Academy reflect a career path rooted at the intersection of sports, business, and innovation— but he emphasizes that he is just getting started.
“The knowledge and skills I gained through my time with the 76ers and the FIFA Rising Stars Academy have been instrumental in getting me to where I am today,” Wade said. “I have no doubt those experiences will continue to motivate me to expand my understanding of the business of sports, build meaningful connections, and grow into a future leader in the sports industry.”
See more about Khamani Wade’s experience on YouTube.
