Abstract Submission Form: Abstract Submission 2027 – Sports Africa
17th Sports Africa Conference
Cape Town, South Africa— May 12-14, 2027Â
The Sports Africa Network invites scholars, researchers, practitioners, and policy makers to submit presentation proposals (abstracts) for the 17th Sports Africa Conference, which will take place in Cape Town, South Africa from May 12–14, 2027.
The conference continues a tradition that began in 2004, when a group of scholars and Ohio University hosted the first Sport in Africa Conference to promote scholarly engagement with sport across the African continent. Renamed Sports Africa in 2014, the conference has since grown into a leading interdisciplinary platform bringing together global scholars and professionals interested in African Sports.
Across its sixteen previous editions (2004–2025), the conference has fostered dialogue and collaboration among academics, sport administrators, policymakers, and practitioners. Participants have explored diverse topics including sport governance, development, history, sociology, anthropology, economics, gender, policy, and sport management, to make sense not just of sports on the continent, but also shed light on African realities and socio-political life.
The 2027 conference in Cape Town continues this tradition by encouraging interdisciplinary conversations that contribute towards production and exchange of knowledge. The ultimate goal of such engagements is to promote collaborative thinking and debating to better understand the contemporary challenges within and beyond African sports.
Research, practice, and broader conversations about sports across Africa take place within social, disciplinary and institutional silos. In this context, sports serves as an umbrella term that includes the entire spectrum of physical activity, ranging from competitive games to individual fitness and daily physical activity. The primary goal of this conference is to bridge these divides by bringing together scholars and practitioners from multiple disciplines and diverse institutions into a more sustained and critical conversation about sports, its management and all the many ways sports impacts daily life on the continent of Africa.
Participants are encouraged to explore how interdisciplinary collaborations may enhance understanding of sports in African societies and how sport systems, structures, management practices, policies, and developments are reshaping how people engage with sports.
Submissions may address, but are not limited to, the following themes:
Interdisciplinary and comparative research is strongly encouraged.
The conference welcomes the following types of submissions:
Individual Paper Presentations
15-minute presentations followed by discussion.
Panel Sessions
Panels consisting of 3–4 presenters addressing a shared theme.
Roundtable Discussions
Interactive sessions involving scholars and practitioners.
Poster Presentations
For emerging research projects or graduate student work.
All submissions must be made electronically through the conference submission portal.
Abstract Requirements
Panel proposals should include:
Graduate students and early career researchers are strongly encouraged to submit.
| Milestone | Date |
|---|---|
| Abstract Submission Deadline | October 30, 2026 |
| Notification of Acceptance | December 7, 2026 |
| Early Registration Opens | January 2027 |
| Final Program Announcement | March 2027 |
| Conference Dates | May 12–14, 2027 |
Selected papers may be considered for publication in special issues of peer-reviewed journals or edited volumes focusing on sport in Africa and interdisciplinary sport studies.
Further details will be announced during the conference.
The conference will take place in Cape Town, South Africa, one of Africa’s most vibrant cultural and academic hubs, offering participants an opportunity to engage in scholarly exchange while experiencing the rich sporting heritage of the region.
For inquiries regarding submissions, registration, or conference logistics, please contact:
Sports Africa Organising Committee at SportsAfricaConference@uct.ac.za
Sports Africa Conference
Email: SportsAfricaConference@uct.ac.za and sportsafricaufs@gmail.com
Website: https://sportsafrica.org
