LCP Global Sports Consulting’s Post

Unlike Spain, where football is a religion, South Africa's passion for the beautiful game is somewhat subdued. While we have a rich football history and talented teams like Mamelodi Sundowns, our stadiums often lack the electric atmosphere that's synonymous with European leagues. In contrast, Spanish giants like Real Madrid can electrify their fans with just the introduction of a player like Kylian Mbappé, a testament to their enduring passion and dedication to the sport. This disparity highlights the different levels of enthusiasm and commitment to football between South Africa and Spain. While we have made strides in developing our football infrastructure and talent, we still have a way to go in cultivating a fervent football culture that resonates with the masses. By learning from the Spanish model and investing in grassroots development, marketing, and fan engagement, we can work towards creating an atmosphere that rivals the famous Bernabéu Stadium, where the mere mention of Mbappé's name sends the crowd into raptures.

Hosting global sports events like Formula 1 is exciting and brings prestige, but is it truly what #Africa needs right now? While I’d certainly be thrilled to travel to #Rwanda to watch an F1 race should they be awarded one, I can’t help but reflect on the state of the sports economy in the region. In my latest article, I explore why Africa must prioritize developing its sustainable sports ecosystem—focusing on grassroots programs, local/regional leagues, and creating exportable products and services—over chasing short-term global events. https://lnkd.in/eKkEwSQW

The Argentine Football Association (AFA) has bolstered its presence in the Middle East by opening a new office in the UAE. This move comes as the world champions are also set to establish a similar presence in Saudi Arabia in the near future. Leandro Petersen , the AFA’s Chief Commercial and Marketing Officer, along with Pablo Joaquín Díaz , Head of International Relations, were present at the grand opening of the Dubai office. Strategically located, the new office will serve as a hub for the Argentine Football Association to foster key partnerships and enhance its visibility both locally and across the region. Petersen expressed his excitement, saying: “The launch of our Middle East office marks a significant milestone for us. It provides a platform to strengthen relationships and elevate our current initiatives. Following our World Cup victory in Qatar, this region holds great importance for the Argentine Football Association and the entire country. We are excited to establish a base from which we can build meaningful long-term relationships with both fans and businesses.” He further added, “The Middle East has become one of the most vital global markets, and our presence in Dubai positions us perfectly to seize new opportunities as we continue to grow on the international stage.” Full article: https://lnkd.in/d5gtCjcX

🌍 Excited to Share My Latest Article on Egypt’s Olympic Bid! 🏅 I am happy to announce the publication of my latest article in The Conversation: "Olympics in Africa: Egypt’s Ambitious Bid to Host the Games Could Succeed – But Will It Be Worth It?" In this piece, I explore Egypt's groundbreaking pursuit to bring the Olympic Games to Africa for the first time in history. This bid is not just about sport; it’s about reimagining Africa’s role on the global stage, challenging longstanding perceptions, and inspiring a new narrative for the continent. 💡 Key highlights of the article: -         Finding the balance between an African-hosted Olympics and the complexities of a developing economy, implications for Egypt. -         Redefining what it means to be an Olympic host and factors that would shape its success in regions such as Africa and the Middle East. -         Reflecting on how future collaborations and investments should be approached in regions that are traditionally underrepresented on the world stage. Thank you for taking the time to read, and I hope this article sparks as much thought and debate for you as it did for me during the writing process. #Olympics #Africa #Egypt #GlobalEvents #SportsDiplomacy #SustainableDevelopment #ProudAuthor #CulturalHeritage #EconomicImpact

#FIFAWorldCup | The Hudson County Latin American Chamber of Commerce (HCLACC), represented by its President Heidi Castrillon, participated in the important event “Soccer World Cup 2026 in Mid-Atlantic Region”, held at the headquarters of the Hogan Lovells law firm in Philadelphia, by the Mid-Atlantic - Eurasia Business Council (MAEBC/MARBC), trade organization chaired by Val Kogan. At the meeting, prominent speakers discussed the great economic and commercial impact that the participation of Philadelphia and New York/New Jersey as host cities of the FIFA World Cup 2026™ - Canada, Mexico and the United States will have, a fact that will benefit the hospitality industry and nearly all other sectors of business in the area. These cities will host no less than fourteen World Cup matches, including the final, scheduled for July 19, 2026 at MetLife Stadium, located in #EastRutherford, an inner ring suburb of #NewYorkCity. Since 1994, the Mid-Atlantic - Eurasia Business Council (MAEBC/MARBC) has worked to foster business relations between Eurasia/Russia and the U.S. Mid-Atlantic region. A major focus of MAEBC/MARBC's efforts in recent years has been the establishment of the #MidAtlantic region as a leading partner for Eurasian/Russian-American innovation technology and entrepreneurship cooperation. #Business #ChamberofCommerce #FWC2026 #Hospitality #NewJersey #NewYork #NYNJ26 #Philadelphia #Soccer #Sports #Technology #Tourism #WeAre26 #WeAreNYNJ

#FIFAWorldCup | The Hudson County Latin American Chamber of Commerce (HCLACC), represented by its President Heidi Castrillon, participated in the important event “Soccer World Cup 2026 in Mid-Atlantic Region”, held at the headquarters of the Hogan Lovells law firm in Philadelphia, by the Mid-Atlantic - Eurasia Business Council (MAEBC/MARBC), trade organization chaired by Val Kogan. At the meeting, prominent speakers discussed the great economic and commercial impact that the participation of Philadelphia and New York/New Jersey as host cities of the FIFA World Cup 2026™ - Canada, Mexico and the United States will have, a fact that will benefit the hospitality industry and nearly all other sectors of business in the area. These cities will host no less than fourteen World Cup matches, including the final, scheduled for July 19, 2026 at MetLife Stadium, located in #EastRutherford, an inner ring suburb of #NewYorkCity. Since 1994, the Mid-Atlantic - Eurasia Business Council (MAEBC/MARBC) has worked to foster business relations between Eurasia/Russia and the U.S. Mid-Atlantic region. A major focus of MAEBC/MARBC's efforts in recent years has been the establishment of the #MidAtlantic region as a leading partner for Eurasian/Russian-American innovation technology and entrepreneurship cooperation. #Business #ChamberofCommerce #FWC2026 #Hospitality #NewJersey #NewYork #NYNJ26 #Philadelphia #Soccer #Sports #Technology #Tourism #WeAre26 #WeAreNYNJ

A great fighting spirit matters more than “winning” for control functions Together with the Greek poet Dimitrios Vikelas, the French Pierre de Coubertin worked to revive the Olympics and was appointed first President of the IOC from 1894 to 1896 and held the first renovated Olympic Games in Athens in 1896. At a dinner hosted by the British government on July 24, 1908 in London, during the Olympic Games. Pierre de Coubertin said “ let's remember this strong saying, the important thing in life is not triumph, but the fight, it's not to have won, but to have fought well’”. A phrase that has gone down in history. I always liked that phrase. And I find it meaningful for control functions - internal audit, compliance or risk. Fighting well means fighting the necessary battles - not everything and anything. Fighting well also means respecting rules of engagement, and acting fairly and transparently. It also means courage, and not sweeping under the rug. And in the end it should be your organization that wins, not the control function: they are there to serve. Having said that, congratulations to the French athletes in the 2024 Olympics. They fight well - and they win too! France is second after China when counting gold medals (8 and 9 respectively), and also ranks second after the USA as per the total number of medals (26 and 30). With only 67 millions people compared to much bigger countries, these are good results! In that spirit, kudos to my friends of Britain (6 gold, 17 medals), of Japan (8 and 15) and of Australia (7 and 16), both with a relatively modest population size and yet making it in the top 5! #olympics #internalauditing #compliance #riskmanagement

Spain isn’t just a football country. It's a breeding ground for international stars. Here’s how youth football in Spain sets players up for global success: 𝗘𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴. - Trained under experienced tactical coaches. - Emphasis on technique, strategy, and mental agility. 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗲𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻. - Matches against top-tier youth clubs. - Exposure to diverse playing styles and high-pressure situations. 𝗖𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗚𝗿𝗼𝘄𝘁𝗵. - Adapting to new environments. - Gaining resilience and global perspectives. Playing in Spain means more than just football. It's about grooming world-class athletes ready for the big leagues. 𝗣.𝗦. Think your team has what it takes? Explore our Spanish football tours. 𝗣.𝗦.𝟮 Know a young player dreaming of an international career? Share this!

𝑨𝒇𝒓𝒊𝒄𝒂, 𝑻𝒂𝒍𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝑫𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒍𝒐𝒑𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑷𝒂𝒓𝒕𝒏𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒉𝒊𝒑𝒔. A long one. The recent partnership announcement between FC Barcelona and Academy Foot in Mali underscores the evolving football relationship between Europe and Africa. Moreover, the transfer of Sékou Koné to Manchester United & Emile Witbooi visit to Chelsea, alongside their appointment of Oluwaseyi Olofinjana into a talent management role covering Africa, has made some we want to look at relationship, between West and Africa, extraction vs talent development, and the strategies and trends behind it. The attached case delves into the top non-academy trained trading clubs like Lille and RB Salzburg, who've directly turned African talent into significant profits. For instance, LOSC Lille generated a remarkable €386 million in transfer profits between 2014 and 2023. Also, I analyses the African expatriate landscape, revealing that 14.3% of global expatriate footballers hail from Africa, with Nigeria leading at 421 players. Furthermore, I give my opinion on some reasons why higher quality African leagues struggle to transfer players directly to Europe's elite, with only one South African club (Stellenbosch Football Club) allocating more than 10% of playing time to U21 players. I contrast successful partnerships like FC Metz and Génération Foot, which produced stars like Ismaila Sarr & Pape Matar Sarr, with less fruitful ventures such as Ajax Amsterdam's 21-year stint with Ajax Cape Town. Lastly, we spotlight Afriskaut, an innovative African-based company revolutionising scouting with AI and data, making talent discovery more accessible across the continent. Their platform, covering over 8,000 African players, exemplifies the tech-driven future of football talent identification. And love the fact that there are locally based companies making a play in the market. 𝑾𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒓 𝒎𝒐𝒓𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉𝒕𝒔 𝒐𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒕𝒐𝒑𝒊𝒄, 𝒑𝒂𝒓𝒕𝒊𝒄𝒖𝒍𝒂𝒓𝒍𝒚 𝒐𝒏 𝒉𝒐𝒘 𝑺𝒖𝒃 𝑬𝒒𝒖𝒂𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒊𝒂𝒍 𝑨𝒇𝒓𝒊𝒄𝒂 𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒕𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒔 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆 🇿🇦 𝒄𝒂𝒏 𝒓𝒆-𝒑𝒐𝒔𝒊𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒎𝒔𝒆𝒍𝒗𝒆𝒔 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒈𝒍𝒐𝒃𝒂𝒍 𝒎𝒂𝒓𝒌𝒆𝒕, 𝒔𝒐 𝒅𝒐𝒏'𝒕 𝒉𝒆𝒔𝒊𝒕𝒂𝒕𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒅𝒓𝒐𝒑 𝒎𝒆 𝒂 𝑫𝑴 𝒐𝒓 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕. #Football #Soccer #Africa #AfricanFootball #FootballInvestment #SportsBusiness #FootballDevelopment #SportsEconomics  #TalentDevelopment #FootballGrowth #SportsStrategy #FootballCommunity #SouthAfrica #TalentDevelopment #Academy