Registration opens July 2026 · Free to attend · Speaker & partnership applications open now
ACCRA · GHANA · 2026
Africa Football Analytics Forum

AFAF 2026

The inaugural Pan-African forum on football data, artificial intelligence, and football intelligence infrastructure.

Theme The Future of African Football Intelligence
Date
3 September 2026
Host City
Accra, Ghana
Format
Hybrid · 1 Day
Registration opens July 2026 — free to attend. Speaker & partnership applications are open now.
A continental platform

The largest under-discovered football talent pool on Earth deserves better infrastructure.

AFAF 2026 is the inaugural Pan-African conference dedicated to advancing the adoption of football analytics, artificial intelligence, data science, and sports technology across the African football ecosystem.

What AFAF is

An annual Pan-African forum bringing together football clubs, federations, academies, scouts, agents, technology companies, AI researchers, sports scientists, investors, universities, media, and development partners — across one day of keynotes, panels, technical sessions, and innovation showcases.

The inaugural edition is hosted in Accra, Ghana, on 3 September 2026.

Why now

  • Global football is becoming data-native. Recruitment, performance, injury prevention, and commercial operations now depend on analytics.
  • AI is collapsing the cost of football intelligence. Computer vision and large language models make scout-grade analysis possible at a fraction of legacy cost.
  • Africa cannot afford to remain a passive participant. Without intentional investment, the continent will keep exporting raw talent while value capture happens elsewhere.
How can data, AI, and technology accelerate the growth and competitiveness of African football?
Programme & Format

One day. One continent. One conversation.

A single-day executive forum and exhibition in Accra, structured around six pillars that define how the conversation unfolds.

01 / KEYNOTES

Executive Keynotes

Leaders from football, technology, business, academia, and innovation.

02 / PANELS

High-Level Panels

Expert discussions on the future of football intelligence in Africa.

03 / TECHNICAL

Technical Sessions

Football analytics, AI applications, computer vision, and emerging tech.

04 / DEMOS

Product Demonstrations

Live demos, including the official launch of the Soccerlytica Platform.

05 / SHOWCASE

Innovation Showcase

Startups, technology companies, and research initiatives.

06 / NETWORK

Networking Sessions

Curated opportunities for collaboration and partnership development.

12 Conference themes

The football intelligence agenda for Africa.

The programme is organised around twelve themes — together they describe where the continent must invest now to be competitive in 2035.

01

Artificial Intelligence in Football

AI in modern football operations, ML, predictive analytics, decision support, ethics.

02

Football Data Analytics

Data collection, match analytics, team performance, advanced football metrics.

03

Computer Vision & Match Analysis

Video tracking, automated event detection, low-cost capture for African football.

04

Talent ID & Scouting Intelligence

Modern scouting workflows, data-assisted talent identification, video-based scouting.

05

Performance & Player Development

Individual player metrics, development pathways, evidence-based coaching.

06

Sports Science & Human Performance

Load management, injury prevention, recovery, conditioning.

07

Africa's Data Infrastructure

What needs to exist for African football to be measurable, visible, and investable.

08

Football Technology & Innovation

Hardware, software, wearables, capture, and the African football tech stack.

09

Football Business Intelligence

Commercial growth, fan analytics, revenue diversification, club operations.

10

Women's Football & Inclusive Innovation

Closing the data gap in women's football, dedicated infrastructure, equitable access.

11

Grassroots Football Transformation

Academies, youth pathways, semi-professional ecosystems — the under-documented majority.

12

The Future of African Football Intelligence

The ten-year horizon: where the continent must invest now to compete in 2035.

Who attends

300+ participants. 9 stakeholder groups. One agenda.

AFAF 2026 brings together the people who shape African football — across the football industry, technology, research, capital, governance, and media.

300+
Expected delegates
15–20
Speakers
12
Conference themes
1
Day · Accra
Football Clubs & Academies100
Scouts & Agents40
Football Associations20
Technology Companies40
Universities & Researchers30
Investors & Partners20
Media Representatives20
Government & Development Partners10
Students & Young Professionals20
Total expected attendance300+
Headline moment

The Soccerlytica Platform launches at AFAF 2026.

A headline moment will be the official public launch of the Soccerlytica Platform — the African Football Intelligence Platform — and a live demonstration of the Scout AI Agent, the platform's flagship product.

The Scout AI Agent watches every available match of a player and produces a scout-grade technical report — with every claim cited to a source clip the scout can verify in two clicks. The launch will demonstrate what becomes possible when AI agents are built specifically for the African football context.

Soccerlytica's North-Star Principle
"Refuse confidently before you bluff."

When the data is too thin to support a conclusion, the agent says so. Trust before scale.

How to engage

Six ways to be part of AFAF 2026.

Whether you lead a club, run a tech company, write code, write reports, write cheques, or write headlines — there's a way in. Registration is free; forms open in July.

A

Attend

Register as a delegate to attend keynotes, panels, technical sessions, and networking events. Registration is free for the inaugural edition.

Registration opens · July 2026
S

Speak

Submit a proposal if you lead work in football analytics, AI, scouting, sports science, or football technology. Across all 12 themes.

Speaker applications · Open now
P

Sponsor

Partnership tiers from GHS 10,000 (Standard Booth) to GHS 100,000 (Presenting Partner). Full proposal on request.

Partnerships · Open now
E

Exhibit

Showcase your technology, research, or startup in the Innovation Pavilion alongside Africa's emerging football tech ecosystem.

Exhibitor enquiries · Open now
C

Collaborate

Federations, clubs, universities, and development partners are invited to co-create programme tracks, research sessions, and policy roundtables.

Institutional partners · Open now
M

Cover

Accredited media partners can apply for press passes and access to keynotes, panels, and exclusive briefings throughout the Forum.

Media accreditation · Open now
Partner with AFAF

Help build the institutional home of football intelligence in Africa.

AFAF 2026 is the inaugural edition of an annual Pan-African forum. Founding sponsors and partners shape the institution we build over the next decade — and stand at the centre of African football's data transformation.

Tiers from GHS 10,000 · Up to GHS 100,000 Presenting Partner · Full proposal on request
Get in touch

Talk to the organising team.

For partnership enquiries, speaker proposals, exhibitor applications, media accreditation, or institutional collaborations — contact the organising team directly.

Telephone
+233 (0) 244 980 692
Forum
afaf.soccerlytica.com
Social
@africfootballanalyticsforum
Organiser
Soccerlytica — The African Football Intelligence Platform
Host city
Accra, Ghana
Date
3 September 2026