Why Attend the Summit?
Football can be a powerful channel for skills development and socioeconomic transformation. This is a message I have been trying to convey to my mentees in Kenya, and it is the very reason I am eager to attend and contribute to the Africa Football Business Summit. It is high time that sport was recognised as an essential component in the journey towards sustainable development, especially for African youth.
I invite DAAD alumni, German university graduates, and anyone interested in the intersection of science, sports, and education to register and attend this summit. The connections between my journey—from the FIFA World Cup in 1990 to my predictive models in 2018 and 2022—are a testament to the potential of STEM education in Africa and how to socialise it effectively. STEM education is not just for academics but for games such as football, informing creative approaches to coaching and talent development that tap into real-world experiences. To all football fans, educators, investors, and African sports leaders: let’s converge in Nairobi this October. Let’s make African football the best version of itself, grounded in data, intelligence, and the unyielding passion that the game inspires, shall we?
A World Cup Memory Rooted in Germany
My fascination with the FIFA World Cup began in 1990, when I first watched the tournament live on TV and got captivated as West Germany lifted the trophy. That moment wasn’t just about football; it was about inspiration. This inspiration turned into something more tangible 28 years later, while I was in Germany, working with numbers and probabilities that opened my eyes to see the game in a different light—something beyond the players, the grass, and the goals.
The 2018 World Cup: Mathematics in Action
In 2018, I began applying mathematics to predict World Cup outcomes. What initially began as a simple exploration quickly turned into an engaging model for predicting match winners. The six-variable model, crafted while I was in Germany, was an extension of my passion for mathematics, showcasing to my friends and followers on Facebook how numbers could capture the imagination of fans and the magic of the pitch.
The predictions were more than just for fun; they were a learning journey, transforming abstract mathematics into a practically applicable and entertaining enterprise as fellow Africans in Freiberg, Saxony, flocked to my room to witness the predictions while sipping Kenyan tea whose brewing formula I had perfected. The response was incredible, as friends followed along to see how the variables used lined up with actual match outcomes. This made me realise the power of education not as a formality but for concrete application—how taking a concept from the classroom and creatively placing it in an everyday context could make it accessible, enjoyable, and real.
The 2022 World Cup: Ramping up with Collaboration and Youth Empowerment
Come the year 2022, the predictive model had become more sophisticated, branded AWCuPreM and with nine variables: climate, honed skillset, mentality, resistive nucleus, score drive, serendipity, tactical inventiveness, team coherence, and tenacity gradient. Developed while I was at Taita Taveta University, Kenya, AWCuPreM was now not just a personal project of passion but a source of inspiration to my students and mentees of my youth mentorship initiative, Impact Borderless Digital (IBD). Through physical and social media engagement, the model was refined, introducing a multiple reflection matrix to simulate scenarios for different teams throughout the tournament.
This time, the model’s accuracy was astonishing, especially from the Quarter Finals and beyond. In the end, it correctly predicted Argentina as the winner—much to the amazement of Twitter (X) Space audience, who tuned in to hear our forecasts live from Taita Taveta University, Voi, Kenya. These sessions weren’t just predictions; they were insights, shared with a community of passionate football enthusiasts, encouraging them to think about the beautiful game through the lens of logic and data. The thrill of accurately forecasting outcomes and the interactions that followed highlighted the immense power of cross-breeding digital platforms with educational insights.
Science, Football, and a Call to Empower Africa’s Talent
The model is not just about who would win or lose; it is about showing how the rigour of mathematics can inform a game as universally cherished as football. Football, often seen as an art, has underlying patterns that can be analysed, and in doing so, we can change our approach to sports—how it is coached, strategised, and understood.
From Classroom to Championship: Transforming African Football through Game-Changing Models
Again, through a chain of events that connected me to an African engineer working in Germany, I got a chance to be introduced to the Africa Football Foundation and organisers of an impending football summit. This is the theme I will present at the upcoming Africa Football Business Summit (AFBS) to be held October 24-25, 2024 in Nairobi.
Africa has an abundance of young talent and bright minds—a natural capital that, if nurtured properly, can have transformative impacts on the global sports arena. The summit will explore how African football can evolve into a high-potential enterprise, one that contributes to the social and economic fabric of our nations. It is an opportunity to elevate the standard of football coaching, talent development, and sports management on the continent.
Turning Football into an Avenue for Intelligence-Led Enterprise
Football, particularly in Africa, isn’t just a sport but a symbol of hope, unity, and aspiration. With knowledge and technology leading the way, we can transform this beloved game into an avenue for intelligence-led enterprises that offer new opportunities. By managing uncertainties and transforming them into quantifiable risks, we can provide young people with an understanding of how science and mathematics apply to the things they love. For instance, breakthroughs in machine learning, such as those made by the 2024 Nobel laureates in Physics, John J. Hopfield and Geoffrey E. Hinton “for foundational discoveries and inventions that enable machine learning with artificial neural networks,” have reshaped how data can be used to simulate complex systems—including football strategies and outcomes. It is about showing that abstract concepts can indeed be applied in dynamic, meaningful ways.
An Invitation to Reimagine Football’s Future in Africa
I believe that African football is ready for a knowledge-led reinvention. Through initiatives such as the Africa Football Business Summit, we can create an ecosystem where science, sports, and enterprise work hand in hand. For decision-makers—whether they are sports ministers, coaches, educators, or investors—the summit will be a space to discuss, share, and learn how to elevate African football on the global stage.
The summit will not just focus on the professional aspects of football but also highlight how STEM integration can provide the analytical tools needed to revolutionise training methods, game strategies, and youth engagement in sports. The models I developed during the last two FIFA World Cups will serve as examples of what is possible when we think different about sports.
For alumni who have experienced the German education system—where practical application of knowledge is highly valued—this summit is an opportunity to see these principles at work in a context that is both thrilling and deeply meaningful. This is a way of giving back, sharing what we learned during our time in Germany, and applying the same to uplift African talent.
Preparing for the 2026 World Cup—And Beyond
Looking forward, as we anticipate the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the plan is to build an even more dynamic model. This time, we aim for greater inclusion, inviting not just young Kenyan mentees but also international students and sports enthusiasts, creating a diverse think-tank of football analytics.
Football has the power to bring people together, crossing borders and breaking barriers. By using predictive modelling, we can not only enrich the viewing experience but also bring a sense of community and inclusion, a welcome perspective to the sport that people from different fields—education, business, and technology—can appreciate.
Join Us at the Africa Football Business Summit 2024
The Africa Football Business Summit goes beyond football to transformation, opportunity, and youth empowerment. Whether you are a football coach, a maths teacher, an investor, or just a football enthusiast, this summit is for you. Let’s harness the power of our youth, our talent, and our shared passion and futures to elevate the game we cherish.
Don’t Miss Out! Register now for the Africa Football Business Summit, and let’s transform football into a powerful engine for Africa’s development.
Register Here: Africa Football Business Summit 2024 Registration
Together, we can thrive in sports, education, and talent development—and ultimately, as African nations that nurture and celebrate our vast potential. Let’s apply well-researched models to kick off a new era for football in Africa.
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