Casablanca to Host African Football Convention in January 2026

All is set for the African Football Convention, scheduled to take place from January 5 to 9, 2026, in Casablanca, Morocco. The five-day event is organised by African Coaches Connect and is expected to attract coaches, technical directors, administrators, and key football stakeholders from across the continent.

The convention is designed as a knowledge-sharing and capacity-building platform, with a strong focus on sustainable football development, inclusive leadership, innovation, and high-performance systems within African football.

A rich and diverse lineup of speakers has been assembled, cutting across coaching education, governance, law, inclusivity, and performance psychology.

Renowned coach and football ambassador Henry Abiodun will headline a session dedicated to football training foundations. Drawing on nearly four decades of experience in coaching, management, and education, Abiodun will break down the core components of effective football training—from structure and planning to execution. He will emphasise that sustainable football development goes beyond passion and must be anchored in intentional methodology, making the session particularly valuable for coaches, technical directors, and administrators operating at both grassroots and elite levels.

The convention will also feature legal and commercial insights from Peter Mshikilwa, a tax, investment, and sports lawyer as well as a Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) arbitrator. Mshikilwa will explore the intersection of esports and traditional football, examining emerging growth opportunities, regulatory challenges, investment trends, and the legal frameworks shaping the future of the global game.

Inclusivity will take centre stage in a session led by Patricia Owomugisha, who will address women’s participation and inclusivity in African sports. Drawing from her experience in football development, league coordination, and sports event management across the continent, Owomugisha will highlight the importance of governance, participation pathways, and professional structures in empowering women and strengthening Africa’s sports ecosystem.

High-performance football will also be examined from a psychological perspective by Nick Atzeni. His session will focus on emotional intelligence, psycho-socio-emotional dynamics, and EQ analysis, offering practical frameworks to help individuals and teams enhance self-awareness, emotional regulation, and collaboration in high-pressure environments.

With its blend of technical, legal, inclusive, and performance-driven discussions, the African Football Convention in Casablanca is positioned as a key platform for advancing structured, intentional, and sustainable football development across Africa.

Samuel Ahmadu

Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. On the back of domestic engagement since 2008, he began his international career journey at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.

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