African Collaborations Group Appoints Fatma Samoura to Drive Africa’s Next Generation of Sport and Entertainment Districts

Written By: Binoy Mehera

Binoy Mehera

A curious mind driven by a passion for storytelling, I find inspiration in uncovering hidden perspectives, exploring diverse experiences, and shaping ideas into narratives that leave an impact. With three years of experience in journalism and content creation, I have developed a strong instinct for identifying meaningful stories, blending research with creativity, and presenting information in a way that connects with readers. My storytelling journey is guided by a fascination for culture, travel, lifestyle, and the human experiences that define our world. I aim to create narratives that not only inform but also spark curiosity, evoke emotions, and offer audiences a deeper understanding of every story.

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September 3, 2026 11:08 PM

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African Collaborations Group (ACG) has expanded its global leadership network by recruiting Fatma Samoura, former FIFA Secretary General to its Advisory Board. This brings years of international sports leadership to Africa’s burgeoning sports economy. Samoura’s appointment comes as ACG works to develop large scale sport and entertainment district ecosystems throughout the entire continent. This will connect governments and partner organizations helping bring much needed infrastructure to the continent to reshape sport throughout Africa and the future of sport on the continent.

Widely recognised as one of the most influential sports administrators of her generation, Samoura brings more than 30 years of global leadership experience across sport management, international development, humanitarian affairs and institutional governance.

Samoura served as Secretary General of FIFA from 2016 to 2023, becoming the first woman and the first non-European to hold the organisation’s top administrative position. During her seven-year tenure, she managed FIFA’s global operations and played a key role in delivering major international tournaments, including two FIFA World Cups and two FIFA Women’s World Cups. She also contributed to strengthening governance frameworks, improving member association support and expanding FIFA’s international development initiatives.

Prior to her leadership role at FIFA, Samoura spent over two decades with the United Nations, where she held senior positions across humanitarian and development programmes. Her career included leadership roles with organisations such as the World Food Programme (WFP), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

Her extensive international experience saw her work across Africa, Central and South America, and Asia, collaborating with governments, global institutions and development organisations on complex humanitarian and development initiatives.

Since February 2022, Samoura has also served as a Senate Member of the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA), further expanding her involvement in global sports governance.

Her addition to the ACG Advisory Board brings significant expertise in international sports administration, federation relationships, governance, institutional partnerships and the execution of large-scale sporting events. This experience will support ACG’s mission to develop and structure transformative sport and entertainment district projects that contribute to Africa’s long-term economic growth and global sports ambitions.

“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 , Founder and Executive Chairman of ACG.

The ACG Advisory Board plays a key strategic role in guiding the organisation as it develops and structures major sport and entertainment district initiatives across Africa. The board supports ACG’s efforts to bring together governments, development finance institutions (DFIs), investors, sports organisations and infrastructure stakeholders to create financially viable, integrated and mixed-use district ecosystems.

Africa’s sports economy is expected to grow significantly in the coming years, with projections indicating it could reach $20 billion by 2035. However, the continent still faces a shortage of comprehensive sport and entertainment infrastructure models capable of driving long-term economic development. ACG aims to address this challenge by developing bankable projects that move beyond traditional single-stadium approaches and create sustainable districts combining sport, entertainment, commercial activity and community development.

Through its partnership-driven approach, ACG connects a wide network of stakeholders, including governments, public-private partnership authorities, regulators, development finance institutions, investors, developers, architects, engineers, legal and financial advisors, operators, sports federations, leagues, event organisers, media companies, academic institutions and local communities.

This collaborative framework helps transform early-stage concepts into fully structured opportunities, supporting every stage from feasibility assessment and investment planning to project financing and final delivery. By creating stronger connections between stakeholders, ACG aims to accelerate the growth of world-class sport and entertainment ecosystems across Africa.