Sports Desk Reporter
Cape Town will host the 20th SportAccord Convention in 2028, the first time the event will be held on the African continent.
The announcement was made yesterday at the SportAccord Forum at the Olympic Museum in Lausanne, Switzerland, where Sport, Arts and Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie was leading the South African delegation.
The SportAccord Convention brings together International Federations, host cities, event organisers and partners from across the global sport community.
SportAccord is governed by stakeholders representing more than 120 International Federations across Olympic and non-Olympic sport.
McKenzie welcomed the announcement and said it was significant for South Africa and Africa.
“This is a proud day for South Africa and for Africa,” he said.
“For too long, our continent has been treated as a place sport comes to find talent, rather than a place where the decisions about sport are made,” McKenzie said.
He said the 2028 Convention would bring people responsible for global sport to the continent.
“In 2028, the people who run world sport will be doing their business on African soil,” he said.
“We thank SportAccord and the International Federations for their trust,” McKenzie said.
SportAccord President Professor Uğur Erdener said the organisation was looking forward to taking the Convention to South Africa.
“SportAccord is thrilled to be going to South Africa in 2028 for the first time,” he said.
“International Federations, host city representatives, organisers and partners from across the global sport community will meet in South Africa for the week, and we know they will have a fantastic time,” Erdener said.
McKenzie said South Africa had demonstrated its ability to host major international sporting events.
“From the 1995 Rugby World Cup to the first FIFA World Cup on African soil in 2010 and the Netball World Cup in Cape Town in 2023, we have shown the world that we deliver,” he said.
“Next year we co-host the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup for the second time. So when we say we are ready, we are,” McKenzie said.
The Minister said government would work with SportAccord, the City of Cape Town, the Western Cape Government, national government partners and the wider sports and tourism sector to deliver the Convention responsibly.
He said existing infrastructure would be used and that the event should create opportunities for local suppliers, small businesses and young people.
“Africa is the youngest continent on earth, and the future of world sport is being born here,” McKenzie said.
“When the global sports community arrives in Cape Town, we will welcome them with both hands,” he said.
South Africa is currently one of the Interested Parties in Continuous Dialogue with the International Olympic Committee, with a stated interest in hosting the 2036 Olympic Games.
Under the IOC’s recently announced process, Interested Parties will be considered for progression to Strategic Dialogue in March 2027.
Erdener said the outcome of that process could affect arrangements for the 2028 Convention.
“Should South Africa progress further in the IOC Future Host process, SportAccord and its South African partners will review the arrangements for the 2028 Convention as appropriate,” he said.
Further details, including the dates and venues for the 2028 Convention, will be announced in due course.