Extra Time: The business of women’s football in africa

Welcome to "Extra Time," the podcast that takes you beyond the final whistle, where we interview leading figures and decision-makers shaping the business of sport. In each episode, we sit down with our guests to learn about the strategies, passions, and stories that drive the business of the sports we love. 

We kick off this new series with an International Women’s Day special where Sarah Johnson, Associate in our Commercial team welcomes our first guest, Abiola Ijasanmi. Hailed as "the most powerful woman in African football," Abi is the first woman to hold a C-Suite position at the Confederation of African Football. Abi has now started her own venture, African Sports Investor (ASI), which will invest in, develop, and commercialise women’s football leagues in Africa, with further plans to develop academies in countries where an ASI league is established.

In this episode, Abi and Sarah discuss the business of women’s football in Africa, competitive league models in England and the USA (from brand partnerships to broadcast deals), and the importance of athlete empowerment, highlighting the current commercial opportunities in women’s football for investors, brands, and athletes.