Call for abstracts World Association for Sport Management 5th WASM Conference Cape Town, South Africa
3-6 March 2026
Conference Theme: Global Visions, Local Actions: Innovation and Sustainability in Sport Management
Conference streams
Sport Finance and Economics
Sport Finance & Economics
- Financial challenges, opportunities, and innovations for the local and global sport industry.
- Sustaining the growth of the local and global sporting goods industry.
- The financial impact of digital transformation in sport.
- The economics of mega sporting events: Costs,benefits, and legacy.
Sport Marketing and Consumer Behaviour
Sport Marketing and Consumer Behaviour
- Advancements in digital/social media, branding, and marketing in the sport business marketplace.
- Sustaining the growth of the local and global sporting goods industry.
- Monetizing digital fan engagement: The future of sponsorship and media rights.
- Accelerating leisure, e-sports, and gaming.
- Consumer behavior in the age of sports and on-demand content.
Sport Events and Tourism
Sport Events and Tourism
- Sustainability and innovation in sport events, festivals,and conferences.
- Hospitality and entertainment advances in the local and global sport and leisure industry.
- The evolving impact of sport events and tourism on local and global economies.
- The rise of niche sport tourism: From extreme sports to e-Sports.
- Sustainable event management: Balancing growth and environmental responsibility.
Sport Governance and Social Responsibility
Sport Governance and Social Responsibility
- Sport for development and peace, politics and global contestations in the sports industry.
- Emerging legal practices for the local and global sport business marketplace.
- National and international advances in disability sport management.
- Sport governance and policy development to adapt to technology disruption.
- Human diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice for the future of global sport management.
- Corporate social responsibility and ethical leadership in the sport business.
Innovation and Technology in Sport
Innovation and Technology in Sport
- Digital and technological innovation impacting the sport business and management.
- Sustaining the business of leisure, e-sports, and gaming.
- AI and data analytics transforming sport management.
- The future of wearable technology and smart equipment in sport.
- The evolution of fan-centric marketing in the digital era.
- Branding and identity in the modern sport industry.
Strategy, Leadership and Stakeholder Management
Strategy, Leadership and Stakeholder Management
- Managing and leading sport organizations to be better prepared for the future of the sport business industry.
- Local innovative strategies to assist organizations in adapting to global shifts in sport management.
- Local actions informed by global sport industry trends to foster innovation and sustainability.
- Collaboration to drive innovation or sustainability in sport management.
Global Sport Management Teaching Excellence
Global Sport Management Teaching Excellence
- Sport management education approaches, policy, and innovation for the global sport business industry.
- Sport management education practices and policy innovations aligned with the digitally transformed higher education landscape.
- The future sport management professor.
- Entrepreneurship, job creation, and career development for the sport management student in the technology-enhanced global sport industry.
Professional Practice Presentation
Professional Practice Presentation
- African, local, and global perspectives on issues impacting the sport business landscape.
- Sustainable economic, social, and environmental development of or through the sport business marketplace.
- Sport sociology and historical and cultural perspectives that influence or advance sport in society.
- Key features and trends in the sociology of sport in the global sport management industry.
- Women in sport – women’s issues and perspectives shaping the future of the sport business marketplace.
- Sport participation and physical education that advances the local and global sport sector.
Presentation Type
We welcome abstracts or proposals for several types of presentation possibilities, namely:
- Research Oral Presentation
- Professional Practice Oral Presentation
- Poster Presentation
- Scholarly or Professional Panel Discussion, Debate, Workshop, Or Symposium
Submit an abstract for review
Authors can submit abstracts electronically by following these steps:
- Click on the Abstract submission button.
- Create an account: Create a login account by following the abstract registration link for the event.
- Log in: Log into the system by entering your email address and password.
- Add abstract: Go to ‘My abstracts’ in the menu and click on the ‘Add abstract’ button
- Submit for review: Once you are satisfied with your abstract, you need to submit it to the reviewers by clicking on the ‘Submit for review’ button.
Important Notice: Abstract Submissions
We’re currently experiencing a brief technical hurdle with the abstract submission system. Our team is actively working behind the scenes to get everything back on track.
The system will be up and running again shortly. We kindly ask that you revisit the conference webpage to submit your abstract within the next week.
Thank you for your understanding and continued enthusiasm — we look forward to receiving your winning submission!