Africa Business of Sport Podcast

This is an episode of our FIFA World Cup 2026 series. The FIFA World Cup has always been more than football—and in this episode of the Africa Business of Sport Podcast, Edem is joined by sports business professional Rick Cross to unpack the geopolitical dimensions of the 2026 FIFA World Cup 2026. With the tournament jointly hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, this conversation goes be...

This is an episode of our special BAL S6 Series, a 6-part deep dive into the business of the Basketball Africa League exploring its strategy, structure, growth, and investment landscape, featuring insights from basketball expert and Forbes SportsMoney contributor Sindiswa Mabunda, as we unpack how the league is shaping the future of sport and business across the continent. In this episode, Edem an...

This is an episode of our special BAL S6 Series, a 6-part deep dive into the business of the Basketball Africa League exploring its strategy, structure, growth, and investment landscape, featuring insights from basketball expert and Forbes SportsMoney contributor Sindiswa Mabunda, as we unpack how the league is shaping the future of sport and business across the continent. In this episode, Edem an...

This is an episode of "The Business of the Winter Olympics", a series focused on the sports business aspects of the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic & Paralympic Games featuring senior executives from the International Olympic Committee (IOC). In this episode, the Director of Corporate Communications and Public Affairs at the International Olympic Committee (IOC), Christian Klaue, joins E...

In this episode, Edem and Jabu welcome Michael Payne back to the podcast for a comprehensive discussion about his new book 'Fast Tracks and Dark Deals: How Sport Became Business and Business Became Sport'. The conversation explores Payne's upbringing, his experiences with the IOC during its crisis, the intricacies of Olympic bidding wars, and his transition to Formula One. They delve i...

How do you build a sustainable sport investment portfolio in a market where commercial structures are still emerging? In this episode, Edem and Jabu are joined by MRM Sport Capital Co-founders Ian Briggs and Mokgatle Mokgatle to explore the rise of private equity in African sport. The conversation covers the story behind MRM Sport Capital, the rationale for a dedicated sport investment firm, and t...

What does it take to turn sport into a movement for youth leadership and empowerment across Africa? How can young people shape the future of the continent through sport? In this episode, Edem and Jabu sit down with Champs for Change (C4C) co-founders Memuna Williams, Randy Soumahoro, and Clarisse Machanguana to explore how C4C is redefining youth empowerment through sport. They discuss the organis...

As women’s football continues to gain global momentum, Africa stands at a pivotal moment to redefine how brands, leagues, and communities invest in the women’s game. How can African women’s football unlock its full sponsorship potential? In this episode, Edem and Jabu are joined by sport marketing expert Shafeeqah Isaacs to unpack her journey into the sports industry, South Africa’s football spons...

What would it take for Cape Town to become the first African city to host the Olympic Games? In this episode of the Africa Business of Sport Podcast, Edem and Jabu sit down with Rashiq Fataar, urban strategist and co-lead of the Cape Town 2040 think tank, to explore the city’s long-term vision, the risks and opportunities of hosting the Olympics, and how mega-events can drive urban transformation....

In this episode, Edem is joined by Rick Cross, Global Recruitment Manager at the Global Institute of Sport (GIS), to unpack a new and exciting partnership between GIS and Africa Business of Sport. They explore why Africa is a key focus market for international sports education, the uniqueness of GIS programs like the MSc in International Sport Management and MA in Sports Agency, and how this partn...

In this episode, Edem and Jabu sit down with Jonathan Miseory, Co-Founder and Chief Strategy Officer of Hadaf Global, to have a timely conversation about sport and international diplomacy. They trace the roots of sport diplomacy, examine how events like AFCON 2025 and the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympics reflect Africa’s increasing use of sport to expand its soft power, and explore how upcoming sporting...

In this episode, Edem is joined by the Founder of African Warriors Fighting Championship (AWFC), Maxwell Kalu, to discuss the groundbreaking broadcasting deal between AWFC and DAZN, a major milestone that significantly expands the reach of traditional African combat sports to global audiences. They explore AWFC’s broadcasting strategy prior to the DAZN partnership, including its digital-first appr...

In this episode, Jabu is joined by tax lawyer Louis Botha and Director of Cash n Sport Research, Nqobile Ndlovu, for a comprehensive discussion the firesale of Royal AM amid tax debts incurred by its owner, Shawn Mkhize. Jabu, Louis, and Nqobile break down the legal, financial, and sporting implications of the case, analysing how it fits into the broader context of South African football. Topics c...

In this episode, Edem and Jabu react to the announcement that Zimbabwe's Minister of Sport and IOC Member, Kirsty Coventry, has been elected as the 10th President of the International Olympic Committe. They discuss the historic development as Coventry becomes the first female president of the IOC and the first African president of the organisation, and outline her plans to reimagine The Olympic Pa...

In this episode, Edem is joined by International Olympic Committee Vice President and Presidential Candidate Juan Antonio Samaranch to discuss his vision for the future of the Olympic Movement. They explore his motives and purpose behind bidding for the IOC Presidency, his approach to evolving and repositioning the TOP Programme, and how the IOC should navigate an increasingly complex geopolitical...

In this episode, Edem and Jabu are joined by Dr. Layckan Van Gensen, sports law expert and Junior Lecturer at Stellenbosch University, to discuss how professional athletes in South Africa protect and commercialise their image, the key challenges plaintiffs face when claiming compensation for unauthorised use of their image under the common law of delict, the vulnerabilities South African athletes...

In this episode, Jabu and Edem return to review the recently-concluded third season of BetwaySA20, South Africa's premier T20 cricket league. The duo detail the business of the SA20, the league's innovative fan engagement strategy, the commercial partnership portfolio that powers the league and the SA20's significance given the upcoming 2027 ICC Cricket World Cup and cricket's introduction as an O...

In the final episode of this year, Edem and Jabu mark the one-year mark until AFCON 2025 Morocco by having a conversation with African sport business expert, Reda Laraichi. Reda evaluates Morocco's readiness to host AFCON 2025 and the 2030 FIFA World Cup by considering how Morocco is boosting tourism revenues through hosting different sporting competitions, AFCON 2025's commercial landscape and ho...

In this episode, Edem and Jabu reflect on FIFA’s unusual unopposed bidding process in awarding the 2030 and 2034 World Cups, Morocco co-hosting the 2030 World Cup with Spain and Portugal, the African Development Bank issuing a €650m loan to Morocco for World Cup transportation infrastructure development, and Saudi Arabia’s successful 2034 World Cup bid with 15 new stadiums planned across four citi...

In this episode, Edem and Jabu are joined by Visiting Professor at Georgetown University in Qatar, Dr. Danyel Reiche, to reflect on Qatar’s journey post-FIFA World Cup 2022, critically examining how the tournament has shaped the nation’s sports policy and geopolitical. Danyel, who co-authored "Qatar and the World Cup: Politics, Controversy and Change", extensively interrogates the World Cup's impa...

In this episode, Jabu is joined by Dr. Kamilla Swart-Arries, Program Director of the Masters of Sports & Entertainment Management and Associate Professor at Hamad Bin Khalifa University, to discuss the potential return of Formula 1 to Africa. Dr. Swart-Arries explores the history of F1 on the continent, from the 1958 Moroccan Grand Prix to the last race held in South Africa in 1993. She also e...

In this episode, Jabu is joined by leading international sports lawyer, Evert de Bruyn, a key figure behind The Business of Football Conference (BFC), South Africa's first football business summit. Evert discusses the BFC's context within the wider football business ecosystem in South Africa, the brands organising and sponsoring the event and the importance of creating forums for football stakehol...

In this episode, Edem and Jabu sit down with the Founder & Chairman of the Professional Fighters League (PFL), Donn Davis, to discuss the highly anticipated launch of PFL Africa. In an exclusive interview, Donn extensively explains the key drivers behind the PFL’s strategic expansion to Africa, the significant role played by PFL Africa Chairman Francis Ngannou in the formation of the new PFL r...

In this episode, Founder and Head of Partnerships at the World Freestyle Football Association (WFFA), Dan Wood, joins Edem and Shon to discuss the evolution of freestyle or "street" football, the strategies WFFA is employing to promote freestyle football across Africa and the efforts being made by WFFA to professionalise the sport. Dan also highlights how WFFA's partnership with Predator Energy an...

In this episode, Author of The Athlete Brand Book, Thomas van Shaik, joins Edem and Shon for a comprehensive review of his 600-page book detailing the essential principles of brand-building for athletes. In an extensive deep dive into the modern world of athlete branding, Thomas discusses his five-step rule for athletes wanting to create a personal brand, how athletes from Africa and the world sho...