Former FIFA head of host broadcast production Florin Mitu to receive SVG Europe’s Outstanding Contribution Award

Florin Mitu, former FIFA head of host broadcast production, will receive the Outstanding Contribution to European Sports Broadcasting award at the SVG Europe Summit in September.

The Award, which is given to an individual who has changed the nature of sports content creation and distribution within Europe, will be presented at the SVG Europe Summit at De Hallen Studios in Amsterdam on Thursday 11 September.

Previous recipients of the Award include Olympic Broadcasting Services founding chief executive Manolo Romero, EMG UK chair and CTV founder Barry Johnstone, HBS founder Francis Tellier, international sport coordinator Velitchka Nedialkova, former IMG production managing director Graham Fry and BBC Sport executive producer and lead director Sally Richardson.

SVG Europe Advisory Board chair Alessandro Reitano said: “Florin’s career has included some of the most significant and transformative moments in sports broadcasting over the past few decades, and we are delighted that he will receive this well-deserved recognition.

“Under his leadership, FIFA’s host broadcast operations reached new levels of innovation and scale, embracing cutting-edge production technologies and adapting to the rapidly evolving demands of global audiences.

“From UHD and immersive audio to remote and cloud-based workflows, Florin has overseen remarkable advances while ensuring the consistent delivery of world-class coverage at the biggest sporting events on the planet. We look forward to recognising and celebrating his many achievements in September in Amsterdam”

Mitu spent just under ten years at FIFA, joining football’s world governing body in summer 2015, right before the start of the FIFA Women’s World Cup. He went on to lead the host broadcast production planning and successful delivery of the FIFA World Cup Russia 2018, FIFA Women’s World Cup France 2019, FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 and FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia and New Zealand 2023, alongside all other FIFA tournaments.

Florin Mitu in Russia for the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup

Mitu previously spent 19 years at TEAM Marketing where, as Head of TV Production, he contributed to establishing and maintaining UEFA Champions League as a global benchmark for top-quality sports broadcasting, as well as developing and implementing the commercial and TV operational concept around the Europa League.

Mitu’s involvement with the FIFA World Cup started in 1994, when he commentated on the event in the US for TVR, the Romanian public-service broadcaster where he worked for close to five years and performed a variety of duties such as graphics developer and operator, commentator, presenter, producer and ultimately sports Secretary-General.

Florin Mitu added: “I’m delighted to receive this honour – it means a great deal to me professionally and personally to be recognised by my peers from across the industry.

“It’s been an incredible journey working alongside so many talented professionals to bring the world’s biggest football events to fans across the globe, and I’m looking forward to seeing so many of those friends and colleagues in Amsterdam in September.”

For more information and to register for the SVG Europe Summit visit svgeurope.org/summit-2025/