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Afreximbank and TopTier Sports Management unveil star-studded legends football match to be played at Creative Africa Nexus (CANEX) WKND 2026 in Lagos, Nigeria

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Afreximbank

The event celebrates the 30th Anniversary of the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Super Eagles squad and Africa’s Creative Economy

LAGOS, Nigeria, September 11, 2026/APO Group/ –African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) (www.Afreximbank.com), through its Creative Africa Nexus (CANEX) programme, and TopTier Sports Management, What Media Group, today announced plans for a landmark Legends Football Match as a cornerstone event of the CANEX WKND 2026 programme.

 




  

The Legends Football Match, scheduled for 8 November 2026 at Onikan Stadium, Lagos, will bring together football icons from Africa and beyond. The event celebrates the 30th anniversary of the legendary mid-1990s Super Eagles squad—commemorating their historic 1994 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) triumph, 1994 FIFA World Cup run, and their defining 1996 Olympic Gold medal in Atlanta.

The 1996 Super Eagles did more than win Olympic gold; they re-wrote the global narrative

As part of CANEX WKND 2026—Afreximbank’s flagship platform for advancing Africa’s creative and cultural industries—the match will showcase the link between sports, entertainment, and the broader creative economy.

The event is expected to attract significant interest from football fans, the creative community and the wider public, with local and international media also attending.

Speaking during the press conference, Temwa Gondwe, Director of Creatives and Diaspora at Afreximbank said: “The 1996 Super Eagles did more than win Olympic gold; they re-wrote the global narrative, proving to the world that African talent is an unstoppable force. Today, the intersection of sports, entertainment, and culture is the heartbeat of Africa’s creative economy. The Legends Game is more than a celebration of our glorious past – it is a strategic and formidable platform to discuss the future commercialisation and empowerment of African athletes and creatives globally.”

Chichi Nwoko Founder and CEO of TopTier Sports Management, What Media Group, responsible for the planning and execution of the Legends Football Games said, “Thirty years ago, a generation of Nigerian footballers showed the world what African talent was capable of. The Legends Football Game is our way of saying thank you to them, and our chance to ask harder questions: what are we building for this generation and the next? We want to build the infrastructure that lets African athletes turn a playing career into a lasting one, on and off the field; this is a huge gap that must be addressed. That’s what this partnership with Afreximbank seeks to achieve.”

The Legends Football Match will also contribute to the broader CANEX WKND 2026 objective of positioning Lagos as a leading destination for Africa’s creative industries and demonstrating the power of major cultural and entertainment events to drive economic activity, tourism, investment, and international engagement.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Afreximbank.

 




 

Sports

Emblem, Mascot and Theme Slogan of WCH Beijing 27 Unveiled at One-Year Countdown Event

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WCH Beijing 27

BEIJING, CHINA – Media OutReach Newswire – 11 September 2026 – On 10 September, the one-year countdown event for the World Athletics Championships Beijing 27 (WCH Beijing 27) was held in the Golden Hall of the National Stadium, commonly known as the Bird’s Nest. Amidst the anticipation of the audience, the emblem, mascot, and theme slogan of the WCH Beijing 27 were officially unveiled, conveying the message of Beijing through unique designs.

The emblem, “Jing Yue”, centred on the Temple of Heaven and the Chinese character “京” (Jing), draws on the expressive charm of Chinese calligraphy, engraves Beijing’s local identity, and radiates the vibrant energy of athletics.
 




 

The mascot, “Jing Yan”, draws inspiration from “Yan’er”, the mascot of the 2015 edition of the Championships. Modelled after the Beijing swift, it symbolises “the return of the swift after 12 years”. The design subtly incorporates traditional Chinese kite patterns and the expressive eye makeup of Peking Opera, while a lightning-bolt dynamic adds a sense of speed. This seamlessly blends natural vitality, culture, art, and athletic competition. It not only nods to the 2015 edition of the Championships, but also brings Beijing’s rich cultural heritage vividly to life.

The theme slogan “Every Step Counts” embodies the relentless competitive spirit that every step and every effort matters. It sends a warm yet resolute message to the world: on the road to excellence, every wholehearted effort holds extraordinary value.

In his video address, President of World Athletics Sebastian Coe noted that Beijing is the first city in the world to have successfully hosted both the Summer and Winter Olympics, with a remarkable record of staging world-class events. He said the World Championships Beijing 2015 produced many iconic moments, and that World Athletics firmly believes China will stage the 2027 edition of the Championships to the highest possible standard and deliver an unforgettable sporting spectacular for audiences across the globe.

The World Athletics Championships Beijing 27 will be held at the National Stadium from 10 to 19 September 2027. More than 2,000 athletes from over 200 countries and regions will gather at the Bird’s Nest for this grand athletics celebration.
 
 




 

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Former FIFA Chief Member Associations Officer Kenny Jean-Marie Joins African Collaborations Group (ACG) Advisory Board to Advance Sport and Entertainment Districts Across Africa

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Jean-Marie led the launch of FIFA’s USD 2.25 billion Forward 3.0 development programme covering all 211 member associations worldwide

LONDON, United Kingdom, September 10, 2026/APO Group/ –African Collaborations Group (ACG) (www.ACGafrica.com), the leading strategic project origination and collaboration platform focused on the industrialisation of sport in Africa through the origination of bankable sport and entertainment district ecosystems, today announced the appointment of Kenny Jean-Marie to its Advisory Board.

 




 
 

Mr Jean-Marie served as Chief Member Associations Officer of FIFA from 2020 to 2024, leading the global governing body’s relationship with its 211 member associations and overseeing the development, governance and institutional support programmes that connect world football’s central administration to the national federations that constitute it.

In this capacity, Mr Jean-Marie oversaw FIFA Forward, FIFA’s flagship football development programme, which provides tailor-made support to all 211 member associations and the six continental confederations across infrastructure, coaching, national teams, competitions, grassroots football and women’s football. He led the launch of the programme’s third cycle (2023–2026), representing a total investment of USD 2.25 billion in football development globally — a milestone widely recognised within world football as critical to the advancement of the sport’s global infrastructure and development programmes. He also played a pivotal role in the successful establishment of FIFA’s Paris office, strengthening the organisation’s day-to-day proximity to its member associations.

Prior to FIFA, he served at the Fédération Française de Football (FFF) from 2017 to 2020, first as Chief of Staff to the President and subsequently as Director of Institutional and International Relations, roles at the heart of French football’s engagement with public authorities, international governing bodies and its own federated network.

His presence on our Advisory Board reinforces the calibre of expertise we are assembling around ACG

Before entering sport administration, Mr Jean-Marie spent close to two decades in senior positions across French sovereign ministries, including the Ministry of the Interior, where he held territorial and central administration functions between 2009 and 2012, and the Ministry of Defence, where he served as a Naval Officer both at sea and in headquarters staff from 1998 to 2005. A graduate of France’s École Nationale d’Administration (ENA), he combines the rigour of French public administration with hands-on experience of institutional engineering and international governance.

A native of Guadeloupe, Mr Jean-Marie was appointed by the Fédération Française de Football in March 2026 as Préfigurateur of the future Ligue Guadeloupéenne de Football, with the mandate to rebuild the territory’s football federation on new foundations following the judicial liquidation of the previous structure. His mission covers the construction of a sustainable financial architecture, the establishment of a transparent statutory and regulatory framework, and the restoration of trust between clubs, federations, public authorities and international governing bodies including FIFA and CONCACAF — a live and highly practical demonstration of the institutional reconstruction capabilities he now brings to ACG.

His appointment to the ACG Advisory Board brings to the platform a rare combination of experience across the operational governance of world football, the leadership of a multi-billion-dollar global development programme, the institutional architecture of a major national federation, the discipline of senior public administration, and the current, active reconstruction of a football federation from its foundations — capabilities directly relevant to originating and structuring large-scale sport and entertainment district projects across the African continent, where the interface between sport bodies, governments and international institutions is decisive.

“Kenny Jean-Marie brings a very particular and highly valuable profile to our Advisory Board — the combination of world football administration at the highest level, the leadership of FIFA’s multi-billion-dollar global development programme, the discipline and institutional literacy of French sovereign public service, and the current, active mission of rebuilding a football federation from the ground up. That combination is precisely what is required to originate sport and entertainment district projects that hold up under the scrutiny of governments, federations and development finance institutions alike. His presence on our Advisory Board reinforces the calibre of expertise we are assembling around ACG,” said Nicolas Pompigne-Mognard (www.Pompigne-Mognard.com), Founder and Executive Chairman of ACG.

The ACG Advisory Board provides strategic guidance as ACG originates and structures large-scale sport and entertainment district projects across the continent, aligning governments, development finance institutions (DFIs), investors, sport bodies and infrastructure partners to support the development of financially sustainable, mixed-use district ecosystems.

Africa’s sport economy is projected to reach $20 billion by 2035, yet the continent continues to lack the integrated district ecosystems required to support large-scale development. ACG addresses this gap by originating bankable sport and entertainment district projects, moving beyond single-venue development models towards mixed-use, revenue-generating and financially sustainable district ecosystems.

Through its collaborative model, ACG convenes governments, PPP authorities and regulators, development finance institutions, private investors, developers, designers and engineers, legal and transaction advisors, operators, sport federations and leagues, event promoters, media and broadcast partners, academic institutions and host communities, creating structured pathways from concept to feasibility, bankability and delivery.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Collaborations Group (ACG).

 




 

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Former FIFA Secretary General Fatma Samoura Joins African Collaborations Group (ACG) Advisory Board to Advance Sport and Entertainment Districts Across Africa

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Ms Samoura served as Secretary General of FIFA from 2016 to 2023 and has been a member of the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) Senate since 2022

Fatma Samoura is one of the most distinguished sport administrators of her generation

LONDON, United Kingdom, September 3, 2026/APO Group/ –African Collaborations Group (ACG) (www.ACGafrica.com), the leading strategic project origination and collaboration platform focused on the industrialisation of sport in Africa through the origination of bankable sport and entertainment district ecosystems, today announced the appointment of Fatma Samoura to its Advisory Board.

 




 

 

Recognised as one of the most distinguished sport administrators of her generation, Ms Samoura brings more than three decades of international leadership experience spanning sport, development, humanitarian affairs and global governance.

Ms Samoura served as Secretary General of FIFA from 2016 to 2023, becoming the first woman and the first non-European to hold the position in FIFA’s history. During her tenure, she oversaw FIFA’s global administration across its major operational and institutional functions, including the delivery of two FIFA World Cups and two FIFA Women’s World Cups. She also played a leading role in strengthening FIFA’s governance, member association services and international development programmes.

Before joining FIFA, Ms Samoura spent more than 21 years with the United Nations, holding senior leadership positions in humanitarian and development operations, including with the World Food Programme (WFP), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). Her UN career took her across Africa, Central and South America and Asia, giving her extensive experience working with governments, international institutions and development partners.

She has served as a Senate Member of the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) since February 2022.

Her appointment strengthens the ACG Advisory Board with exceptional expertise in global sport governance, institutional leadership, international development, federation relations and the delivery of major sporting events — capabilities directly relevant to originating and structuring large-scale sport and entertainment district projects across the African continent.

“Fatma Samoura is one of the most distinguished sport administrators of her generation. Her unique experience at the intersection of global governing bodies, national federations, governments and international institutions is precisely the calibre of expertise ACG needs as we originate a new generation of bankable sport and entertainment district ecosystems across the African continent. Her presence on our Advisory Board is a genuine strategic asset,” said Nicolas Pompigne-Mognard (www.Pompigne-Mognard.com), Founder and Executive Chairman of ACG.

The ACG Advisory Board provides strategic guidance as ACG originates and structures large-scale sport and entertainment district projects across the continent, aligning governments, development finance institutions (DFIs), investors, sport bodies and infrastructure partners to support the development of financially sustainable, mixed-use district ecosystems.

Africa’s sport economy is projected to reach $20 billion by 2035, yet the continent continues to lack the integrated district ecosystems required to support large-scale development. ACG addresses this gap by originating bankable sport and entertainment district projects, moving beyond single-venue development models towards mixed-use, revenue-generating and financially sustainable district ecosystems.

Through its collaborative model, ACG convenes governments, PPP authorities and regulators, development finance institutions, private investors, developers, designers and engineers, legal and transaction advisors, operators, sport federations and leagues, event promoters, media and broadcast partners, academic institutions and host communities, creating structured pathways from concept to feasibility, bankability and delivery.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Collaborations Group (ACG).

 




 

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