5 African startup sectors set to benefit from the World Cup

Africa has made its own mark in the FIFA World Cup, albeit little: Egypt was the first African nation to play in one, and South Africa remains the only host. No African country has won the senior men’s or women’s tournament.

The economic spillover, however, does not require an African team to go deep. FIFA’s original budget for the 2023–2026 cycle projected $11 billion in revenue, which was subsequently revised to $13 billion, with about $8.9 billion coming directly from the 2026 tournament. Africa’s startups are positioned to capture a slice of the activity around that figure.

Below are the five sectors :

Fintech & Cross-Border Payments 

Money follows fans. Ticket, flight, and merchandise purchases abroad run through the same cross-border payment rails that African fintechs have spent years building for remittances and e-commerce. Wakanow, a travel tech company integrated with a FinTech solution, is reporting unprecedented transaction volumes, driven by “Fly Now, Pay Later” (FNPL) services.

This has also triggered a dark side. Platforms report a parallel spike in financial cyber threats, noting that thousands of fraudulent payment gateways and fake FIFA ticketing domains have emerged to target unverified African mobile money transfers and banking apps.

Back home, this is boom season for local viewing centers; payment startups will be used to purchase viewing passes and decoder recharges.

Media & Content 

The clearest benefit so far is attention. Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha went from roughly 50,000 to nearly 10 million Instagram followers within a day of his clean sheet against Spain. This shows how the tournament drives traffic.

Media companies and individuals, such as SportyTV, have a direct commercial stake, holding free-to-air rights to 34 matches, including the opener and the final, across Nigeria, Ghana, and Kenya, and streaming them all free on YouTube, its app, and its OTT platform.

Every day, content creators on platforms like TikTok and Instagram Reels are trying to get traffic by anchoring their content around stadium vlogs, fan experiences, and street celebrations. 

Travel and Tourism 

African fans traveling to the host countries still need flights, visas, and accommodation. This provides travel tech platforms with an audience. However, Visa processing delays for African travelers have been reported as a point of friction during this tournament.

E-commerce & Merchandise 

Jersey demand is the most visible trend. WhatsApp Business “jersey plugs” and classifieds listings on platforms like Jiji have multiplied since kickoff. Jumia, Temu and other e-commerce platforms are well-placed to benefit from “watch party” demand for TVs, projectors, and snacks.

Fan Engagement & Sports-Tech 

Football dominates African attention in this tournament. GeoPoll’s 2026 Africa Football Survey found 91–96% of respondents across Kenya, Ghana, Nigeria, Mozambique, and South Africa actively follow the sport. That figure measures general football fandom, and Sportybet, Gowagr, and similar platforms might see increased participation during this tournament.

Last updated: June 24, 2026