The first business conference on African football started in Ghana on Thursday with participants from various backgrounds on the continent’s game.
Various experts from the field of football business and Fifa are attending the two-day event in Accra aimed at improving the business aspect of African football.
Experts addressed participants in the conference on the latest developments and opportunities in the game.
Some of the continent’s biggest names in football including Ghana-born ex-France captain Marcel Desailly and ex-Ghana international Tony Baffoe were in attendance.
Baffoe, who is the leader of the Professional Footballers Association of Ghana, stressed on the importance of a welfare body for players in Africa.
Ghana FA boss boss Kwesi Nyantakyi addressed participants on the opportunities and challenges of leading a federation in Africa.
Supersport International director Gary Rathbone revealed the South African firm’s massive investment in Kenya, South Africa and Uganda while expressing the interest in similar deals in Ghana.
Former BBC Africa football editor Martin Davies highlighted existing opportunities in radio sports broadcasting while admitting that the growth of sports television broadcasting and the internet is proving interesting.
Delegates from the leading African leagues, sponsors of African football events and agents are also in attendance.
As well as the wheeling and dealing, a wide variety of issues are being discussed at the two-day event.
Workshops featuring some of the biggest names in the world football are passing on useful advice to delegates.
Other workshops will look at how to develop talented African and academy players into valuable assets.
Firms exhibiting at the event cover all aspects of the football industry - from commerce, training, design and event management to logistics, marketing, manufacturing and construction.
Organisers say exhibitors and delegates will take the opportunity to network with suppliers, manufacturers and key buyers both in Africa and across the global industry.