Law as a Springboard into Sport

Lawyers are often expected to remain in courtrooms, contract drafting rooms, or corporate boardrooms. However, for many of us, the practice of law has become a springboard into entirely different but equally exciting industries. In Africa, sport is undergoing a remarkable economic transformation, offering fertile ground for legal professionals to exercise their critical thinking, strategic acumen, and governance expertise in new and impactful ways.

A Rising African Sports Industry

Globally, the sports industry was valued at over $512 billion in 2023, with projections indicating growth to $624 billion by 2027 (African Development Bank; SCCG Management). Africa’s share of this market is expanding rapidly, with PwC forecasting growth of around 8% over the next three to five years (African Development Bank; African Business Review). The continent’s sports economy is already pegged at over $12 billion, with potential to exceed $20 billion by 2035 (Africa24 TV). In addition, the sports analytics sector is emerging as a major frontier, projected to grow from $3.95 billion in 2025 to nearly $10 billion by 2031, reflecting a CAGR of 16.3% (Mobility Foresights).

This growth transcends mere statistics. Across the continent, we are witnessing increased infrastructure investment, expanded media rights, and a surge in professionalised leagues from traditional competitions to burgeoning esports platforms. These developments offer compelling roles not just for athletes and managers, but for lawyers equipped to guide sport’s structural transformation.

The Lawyer’s Edge in Sport

Legal training imbues professionals with an analytical lens, governance awareness, negotiation finesse, and risk management capabilities. These qualities are essential within sports organizations, where contracts, integrity, compliance, and strategic partnerships are central to success. Lawyers can move beyond providing legal opinions to shaping institutional design, regulatory frameworks, and sustainable commercial strategies.

Several African lawyers have already broken new ground in this crossover:

• Shane Wafer, through South Africa’s Javelin Sports Consulting, has become one of the country’s leading sports lawyers—advising on anti-doping matters, representing elite athletes before the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), and serving as legal counsel to major sports broadcasters. 
• Sarah Ochwada, a Kenyan entertainment lawyer and lecturer, holds the distinction of being the first Black African woman to earn a Master’s in International Sports Law. She serves as legal counsel to Kenya’s Olympic Committee, arbitrator for multiple federations, and runs a pro-bono sports law clinic.
• Karabo Mathang-Tshabuse became South Africa’s first female FIFA-accredited soccer agent in 2009 and founded a sports management firm, showing how law can segue into athlete representation and management.
• Yahaya Maikori from Nigeria combines legal expertise with gaming and media ventures, holding leadership roles in esports organizations and serving on regulatory committees.
• At a broader leadership level, Timothy Kajja, a Ugandan sports lawyer, co-founded Young African Leaders in Sport (YALS). He has represented footballers in FIFA arbitration and continues to nurture legal pathways into sports leadership across East Africa.

These individuals exemplify how legal training offers a strategic entry point into a range of sports-related careers from governance and dispute resolution to media, agency, and innovation.

Why Africa Needs Lawyers in Sport

Despite the industry’s growth, many African sports systems suffer from under-developed governance structures and commercial mindsets. Sport is too often treated as a charitable initiative instead of a viable product. This is where lawyers can step in bringing professionalism, strategic clarity, and regulatory integrity.

The sports industry is so diverse and one can easily plug into a specific niche. As the industry continues to evolve, opportunities abound: legal professionals are essential in infrastructure negotiation, media rights, athlete management, esports regulation, and technology compliance. By leveraging their analytical and ethical frameworks, lawyers can function not just as advisors, but as innovators and builders.

A More Informed, Impactful Role

My own journey reflects this evolution. I complemented my legal training with certifications in data analytics in sports management, sports management, and artificial intelligence. These skills have enabled me to design Mchezaji, a platform focused on athlete and coach development as well as organizational transparency, while also applying them to upscale programs at Mashuuru Sports Complex. This dual background demonstrates how legal expertise, when paired with targeted training, becomes invaluable to the wider sports ecosystem.

For lawyers looking to transition into sport, the key is to identify a niche within the industry, whether in governance, athlete representation, compliance, media rights, esports, or data analytics, and deliberately pursue training to build credibility in that space. Today, there is an increasing range of scholarships and professional courses tailored to sports management and law, many of which are advertised through LinkedIn posts, professional networks, and leading sports institutions such as the Johan Cruyff Institute, FIFA, and the International Olympic Committee. These opportunities allow legal professionals to gain specialized knowledge and align their skills with the specific demands of the industry.

Law is not a barrier but a bridge to sport. For emerging professionals across Africa, the sector offers an expansive canvas for legal creativity, leadership, and impact. If you are passionate about sport, explore the many doors that legal training can open: institutional reform, management, policy, representation, innovation, and entrepreneurship. By deliberately blending legal expertise with niche specialization, lawyers can not only advance their careers but also play a central role in shaping a more structured, commercialised, and sustainable future for African sport.

Gordon Gogo Ouma, ACIArb is an Advocate in Kenya who advises clients on litigation matters, sports business, athlete management, implementing AI strategies, and governance. He recently became Sports Manager of Mashuuru Sports Complex, an all-in-one high performance complex for elite athletes, and aspiring champions.