When the local and global sport management community gathers in Cape Town for the 5th World Association for Sport Management (WASM) conference from 3 to 6 March 2026, it will represent far more than a prestigious academic meeting. It will be a moment of pride, progress and possibility for sport management in South Africa and Africa. With the theme: Global visions, Local actions: Innovation and Sustainability in Sport Management, the conference will be the intersection where global insight meets local passion.

Co-hosted at the Newlands Cricket Ground in Cape Town, South Africa by the School of Management Sciences at the North-West University (NWU) and the Sport Management Department at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT), the conference reflects a strong and purposeful partnership. Both institutions are deeply committed to research-informed teaching and learning, and to preparing graduates who can lead in an increasingly transformed sport industry. This collaboration signals a shared vision: to strengthen sport management education, scholarship, research and practice within South Africa and across the continent.

“This conference is a dynamic platform for conversation and collaboration. Two hundred leading researchers, scholars, industry experts and policymakers from all seven continents have come together to explore global trends in sport business management, governance, digital transformation, sustainability and innovation,” says Prof. Liandi van den Berg, Professor of Sport Management and Director of the TELIT-SA Research Entity at NWU, co-chair of the conference and local organising committee alongside Prof. Brendon Knott, Associate Professor in the Department of Sport Management and Acting Head of Department at CPUT. Together, they led a team of 25 colleagues from both institutions to organise and host the event.

Hosting WASM 2026 is both strategic and transformative for both institutions. The presence of international experts is expected to spark new research partnerships, collaborative publications, and postgraduate opportunities. Prof. Brendon added, “More importantly, it will bridge the gap between theory and practice, ensuring that research speaks directly to the realities and specific sport contexts.”

The conference hosted 30 PhD students from across the globe on 3 March 2026 as a legacy project from the WASM board and the Local Organising Committee, which will be continued at future WASM conferences. The PhD students participated in the inaugural postgraduate workshops led by national and international research experts. On Wednesday, 4 March, the conference opening ceremony featured addresses by WASM President Prof Ruth Crabtree (Sheffield Hallam University, UK), Prof. Liandi van den Berg (NWU) as conference co-chair, and the Western Cape Minister of Cultural Affairs and Sport, Ricardo Mackenzie. Annemarie Hill, Head of Health for the Special Olympics, delivered a compelling keynote, urging delegates to take action based on informed research.

Following this, Prof Liandi moderated a panel discussion on Championing Inclusion in Sport, featuring Natasha Peterson (Mega and Global Sports Manager), James Fortuin (CEO, Boland Cricket), Prof. Marlene Dixon (Texas A&M University, USA), and Annemarie Hill (Special Olympics). The conference will expand South Africa’s research footprint and strengthen Africa’s voice within global sport management discourse. Lecturers and students will benefit from fresh perspectives and global networks that extend well beyond the conference programme.

Prof. Liandi and Prof. Brendon with the audience.