ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the evolution of African football from its early years until its current position and role in the global football ecosystem, where a few stakeholders such as FIFA, selected European leagues and clubs, the UEFA, along with a few Arabian Gulf nations, transnational broadcasters, and transnational sponsors constitute the key players. The first part of the chapter is a brief history of African football prior to its post-independence entrance on the world stage. This section of the chapter discusses the post-independence evolution of African football, its institutions, and how African football reached the world stage. The third section presents the transformations and aspects of African football that positioned African football as a stakeholder in the global football business complex. The last section and conclusion describes the power structure and challenges African football faces as an active member of the globalized football business complex.
