For Immediate Release

CAPE TOWN and ABU DHABI, October 2026. Public voting for the 15 Most Influential African Women in Sports 2026 is now open. ProTouch™ Africa and Podium Pursuit invite sports fans, institutions and the African diaspora to vote through the Podium Pursuit BOMA Digital Clubhouse.

The 50 Most Influential African Women in Sports (50MIA) initiative is organised by Africa Sports Ventures Group (ASVG). Voting closes on 30 November 2026, and the winners will be announced on 25 December 2026.

The Podium Pursuit BOMA Digital Clubhouse brings every nominee together in one place. Fans can browse 77 nominees from 18 nations across seven categories, from Athlete Excellence and Performance to Sports Business, Marketing and Commercial Innovation. Each profile carries the nominee's story, her key achievements and her official nomination card. Fans pick one nominee per category and submit their ballot in a few taps.

"These women build African sport every day, often far from the cameras. Athletes, administrators, coaches, referees, journalists and community builders are all on this list. Every vote turns visibility into value, and that is what the Athlete Economy is built on. We want the whole continent and its diaspora to take part."Rebecca Eliot, Co-Founder and CEO, ProTouch Sports, and 2025 50MIA honouree

The nominees span 18 nations, led by Botswana, South Africa, Malawi and Zimbabwe. They include Nigeria's Asisat Oshoala, a record six-time African Women's Footballer of the Year, Kenya's Faith Kipyegon, the only woman to win three Olympic 1500m titles, Zambia's Barbra Banda and Malawi's Temwa Chawinga in Athlete Excellence and Performance, and Namibia's Carol Garoes, Eminent President of the African Women in Sport Association, and South Africa's Jessica Motaung, Marketing and Commercial Director of Kaizer Chiefs Football Club, in Sports Leadership, Governance and Administration. Zambia's Diana Chikotesha, a FIFA and CAF accredited match official, is nominated in Coaching Excellence and Athlete Development. In Global African Diaspora Impact, two-time Olympic basketball champion Napheesa Collier of the United States and Sierra Leone's Hafsatu Kamara join the field.

Three of the nominees were put forward by ProTouch Africa::Podium Pursuit: Mauritian cyclist Kim Le Court Pienaar in Athlete Excellence and Performance, South African sports journalist and commentator Amukelani Banda in Sports Media, Broadcasting and Journalism, and Terisa Simbine, Co-Founder and Operational Lead of the Akani Simbine Foundation, in Community Development, Education and Social Impact.

The 2026 Summit and Awards will also present a Lifetime Achievement Award to Madame Fatma Samoura, former Secretary General of FIFA.

How to Vote

1. Download the Podium Pursuit BOMA Digital Clubhouse from the App Store or Google Play.
2. Open the 50MIA 2026 nominees and choose a category.
3. Tap Vote on one nominee in each category you care about.
4. Submit your ballot with your name and email. One ballot per email address.

Key Dates

ENDS