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Leveraging football as a force for good: anticipation builds for Africa Football Business Summit 2025
Critical conversations on how football can drive investment, infrastructure, global partnerships and more will be held in Kenya this week, at the 4th edition of Africa’s premier sports business conference, the Africa Football Business Summit
This week’s Africa Football Business Summit in Mombasa comes at a defining moment as Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania prepare to co-host the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON 2027), says international sports law expert George Mutuli.
“This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to accelerate infrastructure development, create jobs, and strengthen regional cooperation through football,” says Mutuli, the Principal Partner at Mutuli & Monari Advocates LLP in Nairobi.
Many people anticipate African sports can play a strong role for the continent’s development in the years ahead. Last year, Forbes reported the value of sports in Africa is experiencing significant growth, with projections estimating the market could nearly double in value to more than $20 billion over the next decade.
Former professional basketball player, Denver Nuggets GM and Toronto Raptors President Masai Ujiri, the first African-born general manager or president of a major North American professional sports franchise, believes “sports is the next big thing in Africa”. He has been investing in the continent through his non-profit Giants of Africa.
The fourth edition of the Africa Football Business Summit, themed “Building Africa’s Football Future: Investment, Governance, and Grassroots Excellence” will convene over 200 delegates from more than 30 countries, bringing together visionary leaders, innovators, and top legal minds who are shaping Africa’s football ecosystem.
Held across two days, 23-24 October, at CityBlue Creekside Hotel & Suites in Mombasa, Kenya, the Summit will offer powerful insights, game-changing strategies, and networking with the brightest minds driving African football’s future.
Speaking with Africa Legal earlier this year, Sandra Oyewole and Terence Dambe of DLA Piper Africa highlighted that the massive value of a vibrant African sports sector, both economically and socially, must not be underestimated, and that African governments need to step up to help support and grow the sector in various ways,
Organised by the Football Foundation for Africa, an international social enterprise seeking to drive investment in grassroots development, this year’s Africa Football Business Summit will explore topics including: governance and inclusion, building Africa’s sports data ecosystem, athlete wellbeing, bridging the gap for women in football leadership, building local talent pipelines, football diplomacy (uniting Africa through sport), and leveraging football for social and economic impact.
This year’s Chief Guest is the Honourable Kofi Iddie Adams, MP, Ghana’s Minister for Sports & Recreation. Expert speakers at the Summit include:
Shafeeqah Isaacs (South Africa), founder of Abena Collective & The F-Bomb, advancing sponsorship, inclusion & youth empowerment.
Nasr El Din Azzam (Egypt) – sports lawyer and founding partner at Sport Makers, with experience at FIFA, CAS, CAF & IOC.
Petra Anna-Maria Pulli (Finland) – founder of Collaball Community, building inclusive pathways from grassroots to elite football.
Shodunnke Shogo (Nigeria) – Founder of Phreestyle Sport & AMAPRO, innovating football development through partnerships.
Johnson Mwawasi Kilangi (Kenya) – founder & CEO, Miundo Misingi Hub, consultant for sustainable sport infrastructure.
Tyrel Singh (South Africa) – Director at TS Group Legal, accredited mediator, Mail & Guardian Top 200 Young South Africans honouree.
Joseph Chirwa (Zambia) – sports lawyer, arbitrator, Managing Partner at Joseph Chirwa & Co, with FAZ & ZPL experience.
Natalie St Cyr Clarke (USA/Global) – special counsel for Sports Integrity at Genius Sports, with 10+ years in global sports governance.
Dr. Frank Appiah Kusi (Ghana) – lecturer and researching researcher advocating for strong governance.
“The Africa Football Business Summit isn’t just about the game on the pitch — it’s about the ideas, people and opportunities shaping the future of football across the continent,” says Mutuli, who was a beneficiary of the FFA–ISDE Scholarship Programme, offered through the 2023 Summit. In July, Mutuli graduated in Madrid with a Global Master's in International Sports Law from the ISDE Law Business School, a milestone that highlights the tangible impact of the FFA and Summit’s platform in shaping careers and building capacity for Africa’s sports industry.
Mutuli told Africa Legal he was really looking forward to this year’s Summit. “From inspiring grassroots journeys to big conversations on governance, from networking with participants to learning from star speakers ,,, there’s something for everyone.”