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- Africans at Athlos 2025 and what the CAF’s return to profit means for the future of African football
Africans at Athlos 2025 and what the CAF’s return to profit means for the future of African football
Athlos 2025 returned to NYC and we break down what African athletes’ presence can inspire on the continent. Plus, we bring you the latest from CAF’s General Assembly which took place a few days ago in Kinshasa.
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ANNOUNCEMENTS
We are super proud of our very own, Sindiswa Mabunda, who was recently announced as part of the champions selected in the BAL Advance Next Play program in partnership with Athletepreneur and Afreximbank. The program welcomed 150 applications and selected 26 former and current athletes for a 6-week series of workshop and programs around entrepreneurship and business skills. Looking for a place where you can have all of the information you need about events around Africa’s sports industry? We got you covered. Click here.
JOBS
A nascent industry means opportunities! We’re gathering some of the jobs posted that we see online while we are fine-tuning the design of Africa’s sports industry’s first job board.
EVENTS
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Africa at Athlos 2025
Last Friday in New York, Athlos 2025, the second edition of the track and field event founded by Alexis Ohanian, cemented itself as more than a competition but a new standard for women’s athletics, if not athletics in general. The event brought world class performances, an engaged audience with a sold-out crowd and over 30 000 views on YouTube alone as well as fresh ambition for the sport with Ohanian reaffirming his ambition to build a Formula 1-like league around women’s athletics.
Athlos NYC2025
What African Athletics need to truly shine on the global stages
African participation was strong but modest compared to last year when three athletes won their events. This year only Kenya’s Faith Kipyegon claimed Tiffany's crown and the $60 000 prize in her event. Seven African athletes competed compared to eight in 2024, earning a combined 126 000 dollars, 49% percent less than last year. While African raw talent in athletics is real, it needs better systems to compete internationally: Ethiopia, with over sixty Olympic medals, still lacks a world class track. That contrast captures the challenge. The Confederation of African Athletics and World Wide Sports recently announced a partnership to change that through new training centers and grassroots programs.
Bringing more competitions home
Africa’s next step is not only to compete abroad but to host at home. At #AfricaScores, we are bullish on identifying opportunities it bring competitions like Athlos on the continent. There is a clear new phase where African cities are seen as capable hosts for global events including the World Cup in Morocco in 2030 and other key competitions like LIV Golf, E1 or the UCI World Championships which recently completed in Kigali. The 2026 World Athletics Relays in Gaborone will bring more than one hundred national teams to a city of under three hundred thousand people and aligns with the World Athletics Strategic Plans to develop more regional excellence hubs to Africa.
It always comes down to brands
The World Relays in Gaborone so far count World Athletics Partners but will need more African brands to build on the momentum: Athlos 2025 also confirmed that athletics is entering a new commercial era. Sponsors like CashApp, Tiffany, Toyota, and Instacart gave the event global polish. Brands are looking for authenticity, speed, and community, qualities African athletes already embody. What is missing is a clear strategy to convert these qualities into structured partnerships. The future lies in building alliances between federations, athletes, and companies that see sport as both culture and investment.
Sindiswa’s Corner Kick ⚽
Hi, I'm Sindiswa! I'm excited to carve out this corner of the newsletter to share what I've been learning, who I've been speaking to, and everything happening in the vibrant world of African sports.
Dr. Patrice Motsepe's leadership, since his 2021 election, has transformed the Confederation of African Football (CAF) from financial instability to profitability. CAF announced a net profit of USD 9.48 million for the 2023–24 financial year and revenues of USD 166 million, the first surplus in years. This turnaround is attributed to Motsepe's. 10-point plan focusing on governance, development, commercial partnerships, and youth investment.
The plan's success is evident in increased prize money for competitions, USD 35 million in development funding, and 16 new global sponsors. CAF projects a revenue of USD 312.9 million for 2025–26, with an expected surplus of USD 28.5 million. This financial stability allows for continued investment in competitions, infrastructure, and development. African football is experiencing renewed confidence and momentum, as seen in the success of recent AFCON tournaments and anticipation for future events as well as FIFA’s deployment of over 1 billion in the past decade. Read more here.
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