The Sport Management Department in the School of Management Sciences at the North-West University and the Cape Peninsula University of Technology’s Sport Management Department are leading the way in enhancing and expanding Sport Management within the South African landscape. Both institutions are committed to developing research-informed teaching and learning in Sport Management with a strong focus on technology integration within the transformed higher educational landscape.
The NWU and CPUT actively engage with industry and academic partners to advance sport management education, scholarship and practice and believe that hosting the WASM 2026 will provide a forum for sports management research experts and industry leaders to exchange ideas, provide solutions and create networks for enhanced future collaborations. South Africa is a sport-crazy nation, with numerous sporting codes widely supported at local, national and international levels. The sports activities within the Western Cape Province are supported by good infrastructure and governance and the beautiful Cape Town area provides the ideal setting for an unforgettable conference experience.
Hosting the 5th WASM conference will provide numerous stimuli for teaching and research in Sports Business Management within the African context. The influx of international experts within the field will contribute to expanding the South African knowledge and research field, impacting lecturers, students, sports organisations, local and provincial sporting organisations, sports events and educational institutions that engage with this prestigious international event.
The South African WASM legacy will enhance innovative and interdisciplinary solutions to challenges in contemporary sport management. Likewise, postgraduate students and leadership within the national sports management fraternity will enjoy long-lasting international collaborations aiding the sustainability of sport management research and practice.
Call for Abstracts
The 2026 conference theme is Global Visions, Local Actions: Innovation and Sustainability in Sport Management, and there are eight streams to align your presentation to:
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- Sport Finance and Economics
- Sport Marketing and Consumer Behaviour
- Sport Events and Tourism
- Sport Governance and Social Responsibility
- Innovation and Technology in Sport
- Strategy, Leadership and Stakeholder Management
- Global Sport Management Teaching Excellence
- Professional Practice Presentation
There are four different types of presentation available:
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- Research Oral Presentation
- Professional Practice Oral Presentation
- Poster Presentation
- Scholarly or Professional Panel Discussion, Debate, Workshop, Or Symposium
The process of preparing your abstract is detailed in this Call for Abstract information document (click to download).
Submit an abstract for review
Authors can submit abstracts electronically by following these steps:
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- Click on the Abstract submission button below.
- 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.
For further and updated information, visit the conference webpage at https://commerce.nwu.ac.za/wasm-2026
