Nike And Mumbai Indians Announce a Multi-Year Kit Partnership

Nike and Mumbai Indians, one of the most successful franchises in global cricket, today announced a multi-year partnership that names Nike the official kit partner of both its women’s and men’s team in India, beginning with the 2027 season.

The partnership brings together the ambition, audacity and relentless energy of Mumbai with the leading brand in global sport, beginning a bold new chapter for the team, its athletes and the passionate Paltan fan community.

The announcement also marks a significant step in Nike’s continued investment in cricket, reflecting the brand’s long-term commitment to athletes, fans and the future of sport in India.

Nike will outfit both teams, including their coaches and technical staff, across matchplay, training and sportswear, bringing the brand’s innovative apparel offerings to athletes and the millions of fans who wear the Mumbai Indians’ Blue and Gold with pride.

“Cricket is woven into the heartbeat of India, and few teams capture its energy like Mumbai Indians,” says Tarundeep Singh, General Manager, Nike India. “The club embodies the ambition and belief that make sport so powerful. That’s exactly what drew Nike to this partnership, which represents our effort to serve athletes, celebrate the game and help inspire the next generation.”

Mumbai Indians have built a legacy of identifying talent, backing potential and pursuing excellence across women’s and men’s cricket while building one of the world’s largest and most engaged fan communities. Nike and Mumbai Indians share a belief in the power of sport to unlock human potential and inspire the next generation, whether competing at the highest level or picking up a bat for the first time.

Beyond the pitch, Nike and Mumbai Indians will connect sport and culture through product and storytelling inspired by the identity of Mumbai. From the stadium to the streets, the partnership will celebrate the city’s identity and give fans new ways to express their connection to the team and the game.

“Mumbai Indians have always been about more than cricket,” says Devang Bhimjyani, Head, Reliance Sports. “We are one family — our players, our Paltan — built on nurturing talent, backing it fearlessly and playing for a city that never stops. Nike shares our belief in athletes and in the power of sport to inspire. Together, we see an opportunity to connect cricket and culture, inspire the next generation, and take the spirit of MI and Mumbai to fans around the world.”

Athletes and staff will begin wearing Nike team gear this month, and the women’s and men’s teams will reveal new Nike kits ahead of their respective 2027 seasons. Fans will soon be able to experience Nike’s apparel offerings through both team kits and additional styles inspired by the identity, energy and culture of Mumbai.

“Mumbai Indians backed me and gave me the opportunity to express myself on the big stage. Nike has been part of my journey too, so bringing these two families together feels personal,” says Tilak Varma, Nike athlete and member of the Mumbai Indians men’s team. “Wearing the MI colors with the Nike Swoosh will remind me of how far I’ve come — and how much more I want to achieve. Somewhere, there’s a kid in the nets dreaming of playing in blue and gold. I want them to see us and think, ‘That could be me.’”

SPORTEL Monaco 2026 Concludes as Global Sports Industry Sets Agenda for 2027

The international sports business community gathered in the Principality this week for SPORTEL Monaco 2026, solidifying the event’s role as the premier global summit for sports media, technology, and commercial partnerships.

Over three dynamic days, the 36th edition of the convention drew 1,962 industry professionals, 780 companies—including 166 first-time participating organizations—and representatives from 73 countries. The gathering served as a high-stakes dealmaking hub and a platform for strategic discussions on media rights, fan engagement, and broadcasting innovations.

CMO Brand Programme Makes High-Impact Debut

A major addition to this year’s agenda was the launch of the CMO Brand Programme, hosted in collaboration with Qualcomm Technologies. The invitation-only roundtable gathered senior marketing leaders, including Ashish Babu (CMO Global Markets, TCS), Paddy Carberry (Guinness Global Marketing Manager, Head of Sport, Diageo), Rory Miller Cheevers (Partner & Executive Director, Revolut), and Garrett Ponder (Head of Brand Partnerships and Activations, Qualcomm).

The panel examined the shifting dynamics of sports sponsorships, urging brands to move beyond passive logo placement toward authentic, hyper-local community integration.

“Extending into more of the marketing lens… gives an opportunity to have a conversation with rights holders [and] broadcast folks on-site to have a mutual understanding of how deals are structured,” said Garrett Ponder, Head of Brand Partnerships and Activations at Qualcomm. “It allows us to think differently around the innovation that’s necessary within deal structures and how we can all come together to improve the way we’re reaching the global fanbase.”

Navigating a Fragmented Media Ecosystem

The broader Conference Summit brought together executives from industry heavyweights—including Bruin Capital, YouTube, SURJ Sports Investment, LALIGA, AWS, IMG, JioStar, Deltatre, ViewLift, Qualcomm, Revolut, and Diageo—to address the market forces reshaping global sports tech and media.

In a keynote discussion with media consultant Evan Shapiro, Pedro Pina, Vice President EMEA at YouTube, highlighted the necessity of cross-sector collaboration.

“The world of sports and the world of media is changing literally every day. There’s new formats coming up, new viewership models, and new ways of being in the market,” Pina said. “The only way for all the different parties of an ecosystem going through so much change to find a path together is to open up the dialogue, to meet, and to exchange views.”

Next-Gen Tech and Fan Experiences

On the exhibition floor, technology providers showcased innovations designed to transform live sports consumption. Among the key highlights, Dolby introduced a specially equipped vehicle on the floor to demonstrate its cutting-edge, immersive automotive audio technology tailored for sports broadcasting.

SPORTEL Monaco 2026: Key Metrics

  • Total Attendees: 1,962
  • Participating Companies: 780 (including 166 new companies)
  • Countries Represented: 73
  • Regional Breakdown:
    • Europe: 48.61%
    • Africa, Middle East & Oceania: 20.83%
    • Asia: 18.06%
    • Americas: 12.50%

Next Stop: Toronto 2027

Building on the momentum of the Monaco summit, Marine Picoulet, Executive Director of SPORTEL Monaco, announced the next phase of the organization’s global expansion: SPORTEL Canada, set to take place in Toronto on March 23–24, 2027.

“Year after year, SPORTEL evolves alongside the sports media industry, creating new opportunities for the people and businesses shaping its future,” Picoulet stated. “Building on this momentum, we are excited to bring the SPORTEL experience to Canada… reflecting our ambition to strengthen our presence across key international markets and continue connecting the global sports business community.”

Closing the Data Gap: Inside Baseline Vision’s Scalable Computer-Vision Partnership with the ATP

iSportConnect’s Taruka spoke with Michael who is a sports technology entrepreneur and co-founder of Baseline, a portable computer-vision and AI-powered player and ball-tracking platform for racket and net sports. Engineered by a founding team with deep engineering and scientific backgrounds, Baseline bridges the technological divide in sports analytics by delivering high-precision 3D trajectory tracking, real-time match statistics, and line-calling insights without the heavy hardware footprint or prohibitive costs of traditional multi-camera systems. Through a strategic partnership with Tennis Data Innovations (TDI) and the ATP Challenger Tour, Baseline’s rapidly deployable camera setup operates across hundreds of professional, collegiate, and semi-professional events globally.

Tech in sports often exists purely behind the scenes. How would you explain Baseline to someone who is new to sports technology?

Technology is ultimately just a vehicle to serve a purpose. At the end of the day, our goal is to provide tools that help people train better, compete better, and have more fun playing sports. Whether an athlete is playing recreationally or professionally, everyone wants a blend of improvement, fair play, and engagement. What we aim to deliver is a solution that offers top-tier tracking tools to the broadest possible audience using smart, accessible technology.

What inspired you and your founding team to build Baseline? Did it stem from your personal background in tennis?

I am a huge tennis enthusiast and decent player myself, though never at a professional level. As someone with an engineering and science background, I noticed a massive structural gap in the market. On one end, you had basic consumer tools that relied on tripods, static video recording, and cumbersome setups that provided very limited analytical feedback. On the other end, you had ultra-expensive, permanent multi-camera systems like Hawk-Eye that required fixed infrastructure, heavy wiring, and central servers, making them viable only for high-budget Grand Slams. There was nothing in between. My co-founder and I realized that using modern computer vision, we could bridge that gap by delivering high-performance, accurate tracking in a portable, highly scalable format.

Baseline recently established a major partnership with Tennis Data Innovations (TDI) and the ATP Challenger Tour. How did this collaboration come together, and what problem does it solve for professional tennis?

This partnership was the culmination of over five to six years of technical development and rigorous validation. The ATP Challenger Tour represents the essential pathway to elite tennis, hosting roughly 350 tournaments worldwide every year. However, because these events move to different clubs and academies every week, installing permanent, multi-camera tracking systems on every court is financially and logistically impossible. TDI needed an accurate, reliable, and scalable system that could be deployed quickly. We spent over a year working with the ATP to prove our system’s accuracy and real-time performance. Today, our technology can be set up on court in under an hour, providing live player and ball-tracking data for two to three Challenger events around the world every single week.

What has been the feedback from tournament organizers, players, and officials using the system on tour?

The best feedback we receive is that the system operates seamlessly without interfering with the match. Players and coaches get access to the exact same granular, real-time statistics—such as serve speeds, rally length, net clearance, and shot placement—that you typically see at Grand Slams, but at lower-tier tour events that previously had no tracking infrastructure. For tournament directors and TDI, the quick setup and ease of deployment make it incredibly simple to deliver pro-grade analytics across global venues.

What specific metrics and technical data points does Baseline generate during a match?

Our system tracks the player, ball, and court boundaries at 60 frames per second in real time. By constructing a full 3D trajectory of the ball after every single shot, we stream live data to ATP servers and broadcast outlets. This allows us to calculate metrics including ball speed, acceleration, net clearance, spin rate, exact landing coordinates, player positioning, first/second serve success rates, return depths, and win percentages based on rally length. Everything is derived directly from that real-time 3D optical tracking model.

High-end tracking systems like Hawk-Eye have traditionally dominated elite tennis. Does Baseline compete directly with those established enterprise systems?

We don’t compete directly with multi-camera systems installed at Grand Slams or Masters 1000 events, which require 10 to 20 fixed cameras, central server rooms, and onsite operational teams. Instead, Baseline captures what we call the “99% of the market” that sits beneath those top-tier venues. We provide an accessible, high-accuracy alternative for the ATP Challenger Tour, national leagues, semi-pro circuits, college tennis programs (like the UTR network), and private academies that could never justify or afford traditional infrastructure. We fill the gap where high-end technology previously could not scale.

While Baseline started in tennis, is the underlying technology applicable to other sports?

We began with tennis because it’s our core passion, but the underlying computer vision model was engineered for all “net sports”. Any sport involving players on opposing sides of a net with a ball or projectile passing between them—such as pickleball, padel, badminton, volleyball, and table tennis—can utilize this technology. Tennis remains our primary focus, but expanding into adjacent net sports represents a natural evolution for our platform.

World Table Tennis Signs Hang Seng Bank As Presenting Partner

World Table Tennis has announced Hang Seng Bank as a Presenting Partner for WTT Finals Hong Kong 2026, the season-ending showdown bringing 16 of the best Men’s and Women’s Singles players and eight Mixed Doubles teams on the planet to the city from 9-13 December.

Building on more than 35 years of support for table tennis development in Hong Kong, Hang Seng Bank will bring the event beyond the arena through a citywide campaign featuring interactive games, exclusive customer offers and opportunities to meet the players. The Bank will also distribute complimentary tickets to low-income families and elderly people, enabling more members of the community to experience world-class table tennis firsthand.

Hang Seng Bank Credit Card Holders and WTT Fans will be able to access the priority sales window which will go live on 20 October 2026 at 4pm till 22 October 2026, 3.59pm and General Ticket Sales will launch on 23 October 2026 at 3pm.

WTT Finals Hong Kong 2026 is shaping up to be one of the most fiercely competitive events of the season, with World No.3 Miwa Harimoto, who made history by winning back-to-back-to-back WTT Champions titles this season, having qualified for the Women’s Singles event. Sun Yingsha, who has won six WTT Grand Smash titles throughout her career, and her Chinese compatriots Kuai Man and Wang Yidi are also on the roster. As are Hina Hayata, a two-time WTT Star Contender champion this year, and another Japanese titan, Satsuki Odo.

In Men’s Singles, Europe Smash – Sweden 2026 champion Felix Lebrun, United States Smash 2026 winner Sora Matsushima, and WTT Finals Hong Kong 2025 defending champion Tomokazu Harimoto are already confirmed.

In Mixed Doubles, last year’s winners Lim Jonghoon and Shin Yubin are once again going to Hong Kong, while the city’s own Wong Chun Ting and Doo Hoi Kem will look to leverage home support and challenge for the title.

Hang Seng announces its Title Sponsorship of WTT Finals Hong Kong 2026 Presented by Hang Seng Bank, bringing the World Table Tennis season finale to Kai Tak Arena this December. From left: Hong Kong, China Players Li Ko Ho, Wong Chun-Ting, Executive Director and Chief Executive of Hang Seng Bank, Luanne Lim, Chairman, Hong Kong, China Table Tennis Association, Tony Yue, Partnerships Director, World Table Tennis, Jonny Cowan, and Hong Kong, China players Doo Hoi-kem and Ng Wing-lam.

From left: Hong Kong, China Players Li Ko Ho, Wong Chun-Ting, Executive Director and Chief Executive of Hang Seng Bank, Luanne Lim, Chairman, Hong Kong, China Table Tennis Association, Tony Yue, Partnerships Director, World Table Tennis, Jonny Cowan, and Hong Kong, China players Doo Hoi-kem and Ng Wing-lam.

WTT Partnerships Director Jonny Cowan said: “We are delighted to welcome Hang Seng Bank to WTT Finals Hong Kong 2026 as a Presenting Partner. Hang Seng Bank has been a long-term partner of the Hong Kong China Table Tennis Association, and it is a pleasure to collaborate with our Association colleagues and the Hang Seng Bank team to connect WTT Finals with Hong Kong communities.”

Luanne Lim, Executive Director and Chief Executive of Hang Seng Bank, said: ” Hang Seng Bank is proud to be the Presenting Partner of WTT Finals Hong Kong 2026. The tournament will attract the world’s leading players and fans to Hong Kong, showcasing our city as a premier destination for international sporting events. This partnership builds on our more than 35 years of support for table tennis in Hong Kong. Through the Hang Seng Table Tennis Academy, we’ve helped nurture young talent and support athletes on their journey from the community to the world stage. Together with World Table Tennis and the Hong Kong, China Table Tennis Association, we look forward to sharing the excitement of this world-class event with the community and inspiring more people to take up the sport.”

Tony Yue, BBS, MH, JP, Chairman of the Hong Kong, China Table Tennis Association, said: “Hang Seng Bank has been an indispensable partner to the Hong Kong, China Table Tennis Association for over three decades. Their unwavering support has built the bedrock of our sport—from training tens of thousands of young enthusiasts in our community to nurturing the homegrown talent that brought glory to Hong Kong. We are thrilled to welcome Hang Seng Bank as the Presenting Partner for this landmark event. Together, as we showcase world-class table tennis on the global stage, we remain deeply committed to activating our local community—encouraging people of all ages to pick up a racket, stay healthy, and share in the excitement of the sport.”

Hang Seng Bank has supported table tennis in Hong Kong, China for 35 years, from grassroots participation to elite competition. Through Hang Seng Bank Table Tennis Academy, its programmes have reached more than 478,000 people, provided training to over 71,000 students and helped nurture athletes to compete on the international stage.

NIBE Becomes Premium Sponsor of the LaVita IBU World Cup and World Championships Biathlon

NIBE, a leading provider of energy-efficient and sustainable climate solutions have announced a new strategic partnership with Infront, the International Biathlon Union’s (IBU) exclusive global marketing partner, joining the IBU ecosystem as a Premium Sponsor across the LaVita IBU World Cup, IBU World Championships and LOOP ONE Festival.

NIBE has built its business around harnessing renewable energy through intelligent, energy-efficient technology. Its climate solutions, spanning heating, cooling, ventilation and hot water, are designed to reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions from buildings, helping households and businesses move away from fossil fuel-based heating while maintaining a comfortable indoor climate. By leveraging the global reach of biathlon and NIBE’s expertise in energy-efficient climate solutions, the collaboration aims to create meaningful connections with fans while promoting a more sustainable future.

NIBE will enjoy a significant presence across the IBU’s premier events and platforms. The partnership includes extensive branding and activation rights, featuring venue advertising, start number placements at select locations, rifle stickers, warm-up area branding, press conference and victory ceremony backdrops, stadium advertising, fan activation spaces, hospitality opportunities and VIP experiences. It will also benefit from logo integration across IBU platforms, promotional rights and a range of additional marketing assets designed to maximise engagement both on and off-site.

Maria Hägg, Head of Marketing & Communications at NIBE said: ” Partnering with the IBU provides a unique opportunity to engage with passionate winter sports fans who share our appreciation for nature and the environment. At NIBE, we have spent decades developing energy-efficient climate solutions that help reduce energy use and carbon emissions from buildings. Through this partnership, we want to create engaging experiences for fans while raising awareness of the role intelligent, renewable energy technologies can play in the transition to a more sustainable future.”

Michael Witta, Senior Vice President Marketing Sales & Services at Infront commented: “This partnership is a strong example of how leading brands can connect authentically with passionate sports audiences through shared values. NIBE’s use of technology to positively counter some of the environmental and sustainability challenges fans have in many of biathlon’s core markets makes it an excellent fit for the IBU. It’s hugely satisfying to facilitate collaborations like these that create value for all parties while creating a better experience for biathlon fans worldwide.”

Felix Bitterling, Commercial & Marketing Director of the IBU added: “With NIBE we are welcoming a strong and renowned brand, which is proud of its Nordic heritage, to the Biathlon family. As the IBU works towards reducing biathlon’s environmental impact partnering with a company like NIBE is a natural and strategic fit. Together with NIBE’s experience the IBU will further create opportunities to integrate sustainable technology into our event delivery and develop future-oriented solutions. Biathlon provides a great platform and wide visibility to showcase NIBE’s products and ambitions for energy-efficient and sustainable climate solutions.”

Real Madrid Signs Iren As Official AI Cloud Partner

Real Madrid and IREN have established an alliance between two organizations committed to the community, innovation, and technological progress.

Real Madrid continues to expand its commercial portfolio, with the latest partnership reflecting the growing role of technology companies in global sports sponsorship.

The development comes as AI and cloud computing firms increasingly turn to sport to build brand awareness beyond the technology sector, using partnerships with major clubs and leagues to reach global audiences.

Australian data-centre company Iren has also accelerated its expansion, recently acquiring Spanish data-centre developer Nostrum Group and adding approximately 490 megawatts of secured power capacity to its portfolio.

The company has made a significant push into professional team sports. In June, Iren became the primary jersey patch sponsor of the NBA’s Golden State Warriors from the 2026–27 season, replacing Rakuten. The agreement, reportedly worth around US$50 million annually, has been described as the most lucrative sponsorship deal in North American team sports history.

The partnership extends beyond the NBA franchise, with Iren branding at the Warriors’ 18,064-capacity Chase Center, on warm-up jerseys for the WNBA’s Golden State Valkyries and on the jersey patch of the G League’s Santa Cruz Warriors.

For sports properties, the growing interest from AI and cloud computing businesses presents an opportunity to diversify commercial revenue streams as traditional sponsorship categories, including betting in certain markets, face increasing regulatory restrictions. For technology companies, partnerships with high-profile teams offer a platform to strengthen consumer recognition and connect with audiences at a global scale.

RFU And Gilbert Extend Partnership

The Rugby Football Union (RFU) has announced the renewal of its official partnership with Gilbert, cementing one of rugby’s most celebrated commercial relationships.

Gilbert – the world’s leading rugby brand and Official Supplier to England Rugby – will continue to supply match balls, training equipment and RFU match official clothing under a new agreement.

The renewal marks more than 25 years of official partnership, underpinned by a bond that stretches far deeper: Gilbert balls have been supplied to England Rugby matches for over a century, woven into some of the most iconic moments in the nation’s rugby history.

For over 200 years, Gilbert has been at the heart of the game supplying their products to generations of rugby players, many of whom have relied on the quality and precision of Gilbert rugby balls throughout their rugby careers.

To this day, Gilbert continue to inspire the rugby community through market-leading products, partnerships and content. The Gilbert brand is authentically rugby, from the international stage to the heartbeat of the game at grassroots level.

“Gilbert is a truly famous rugby brand and is engrained in our sport. Having a close relationship between the RFU and Gilbert just makes sense,” said Claudio Borges, RFU’s Executive Director of Commercial and Marketing.

“Our partnership goes back over 25 years, and we are excited that we will continue working together for the foreseeable future.”

Richard Gray, Gilbert’s Commercial CEO, said: “For over a century, Gilbert balls have been at the centre of England’s greatest moments – and renewing this commitment for our longest term ever is a privilege we don’t take lightly. We are extremely excited to continue our long-spanning relationship with the RFU

“The length of our partnership is testament to the quality and trust that Gilbert has built for over 200 years – the reason we are the chosen partner of elite unions and grassroots clubs across the globe.

“What drives us every day is the belief that the right ball, in the right hands, changes the game – from the first time a child picks one up to the moment it’s placed on the tee at Allianz Stadium – those special moments are what connects Gilbert to England Rugby.

“As rugby continues to grow globally, we are proud to be its original brand – and prouder still to be the trusted partner of the team that has inspired the world to play it.”

SportAccord Appoints Kelly Fairweather as Chief Executive Officer

The SportAccord Executive Committee has appointed Kelly Fairweather as Chief Executive Officer, marking a transition from his previous role as Managing Director.

Kelly will continue to lead SportAccord, working closely with President Prof. Dr. Uğur Erdener, the Executive Committee and the team. This new role better reflects the current evolution of SportAccord and its commitment to strengthening its events and strategic priorities, while supporting its Member Umbrella Organisations and their International Federation members. SportAccord events will continue to serve as unique and indispensable gatherings where the international sports movement comes together to share knowledge, foster collaboration and shape the future of sport.

Kelly brings a wealth of expertise and leadership experience, having spent more than 40 years in international sport, across coaching, sports administration and governance. His senior roles include Sports Director at the International Olympic Committee (IOC), Director of WADA’s European Regional Office and International Federations Relations, and Chief Executive Officer of the International Hockey Federation (FIH). He led the International Tennis Federation (ITF) now known as World Tennis as Chief Operating Officer from 2017 and later, became CEO in 2022, contributing to its significant global growth.

He will continue to lead the delivery of SportAccord’s flagship events, including the SportAccord Convention 2027 in Baku, Azerbaijan, from 9 to 13 May.

Baseline Vision Signs Multi-Year Partnership With The Tennis Data Innovations

Baseline Vision, a leading provider of portable, AI-powered tennis technology, has announced a multi-year partnership with the Tennis Data Innovations (TDI) to provide real-time data solutions across the ATP Challenger Tour, worldwide.

The agreement represents a significant expansion of advanced data technology across professional tennis. Baseline Vision’s portable, AI-powered system uses computer vision to track the ball and players in real time, generating high-quality data directly from the court. Designed to operate without permanent court infrastructure, Baseline Vision’s solution can be deployed efficiently across a wide range of venues and tournament environments.

Through the multi-year partnership, Baseline Vision’s technology will provide real-time data from ATP Challenger Tour matches around the world, supporting the TDI’s continued development of its data capabilities and creating new opportunities to enhance the experience for players, tournaments, fans and other stakeholders across the sport.

Michael Chojnacki, Co-Founder and CEO of Baseline Vision. “We are incredibly proud to have been selected by TDI for this partnership. This is a tremendous achievement for our entire team and a recognition of the quality, accuracy and reliability of the technology we have worked so hard to build. It is also a testament to how forward-thinking TDI is in finding ways to scale advanced technology across hundreds of tournaments and make it an integral part of professional tennis worldwide.”

David Lampitt, CEO of Tennis Data Innovations. “We’re delighted to be working with Baseline Vision to expand the availability of high-quality, real-time data across the ATP Challenger Tour. The scale and global reach of the Challenger Tour require technology that is both accurate and reliable, while also being agile enough to deploy efficiently across a wide variety of tournament environments. Baseline Vision’s innovative approach enables us to extend advanced data capture across the Tour and supports our broader ambition to unlock more value from tennis data for the benefit of the sport.”

The ATP Challenger Tour provides an important pathway within professional tennis, with tournaments staged around the world throughout the season. The scale and geographic reach of the Tour requires technology that can be deployed consistently and efficiently across a diverse range of venues. Baseline Vision’s portable architecture enables professional-grade tracking and data collection without the complexity and infrastructure traditionally associated with such systems.

The partnership marks another major step in Baseline Vision’s mission to make advanced tennis technology accessible and scalable across every level of the sport.

Formula 1 Inks 10-Year Agreement With African Grand Prix

Formula 1 has announced a landmark 10-year agreement to bring the sport back to the African continent, with the Formula 1 African Grand Prix, presented by Visit Rwanda, set to join the calendar in the early 2030s.

The agreement marks a defining moment in F1’s history and will see the sport return to Africa for the first time since 1993.

Racing in Africa has been a long-standing ambition for F1, with Tuesday’s announcement following years of collaboration to ensure the right foundations, with the best partner, are in place to deliver a successful, sustainable and world-class Grand Prix for generations to come.

The long-term agreement will see the first race in the country take place once a new purpose-built circuit in Bugesera, Rwanda, has been completed, which is expected to be early in the next decade.

The new track will be developed to FIA Grade 1 standards as part of a wider sports, tourism, infrastructure, and commercial development project led by the Rwanda Development Board.

Located approximately 40 kilometres south of capital city Kigali, and adjacent to the new Kigali International Airport, the circuit will be designed to work in harmony with the natural landscape, using the area’s elevation changes to create a unique and challenging racing experience while delivering exceptional viewing opportunities for fans.

Beyond race weekends, the venue will serve as a year-round destination capable of hosting international motorsport, major events, conferences and entertainment, helping to drive long-term economic growth and investment across the region.

The announcement reflects F1’s continued commitment to expanding its global reach and connecting with new audiences around the world. Africa represents one of the most exciting growth opportunities for the sport, with more than 100 million fans already following F1 across the continent, and almost 60% of fans in key Sub-Saharan African markets under the age of 35.

Rwanda has established itself as one of Africa’s leading destinations for international events, successfully hosting major sport and global gatherings including the UCI Road World Championships, the ICC Women’s Challenge Trophy, 2023 FIFA Congress, the Basketball Africa League, the 2024 FIA General Assemblies and the FIA Awards Ceremony.Everything we know about F1’s all-new race in Rwanda

The Formula 1 African Grand Prix, presented by Visit Rwanda, represents the next chapter in the country’s ambition to become a globally recognised hub for sport, tourism, innovation and business.

More than simply bringing F1 back to Africa, the project is designed to create a legacy by supporting tourism, attracting investment, developing local talent and creating new opportunities for communities and businesses.

Together, F1, the Government of Rwanda and the Rwanda Development Board share a vision to build an event that generates meaningful economic and social impact while inspiring future generations across the continent.

Further details regarding the inaugural race date, circuit development milestones and race weekend plans will be announced in due course.

A vision of how the circuit in Rwanda might look

“Today is a landmark moment for Formula 1,” said Stefano Domenicali, President and CEO of F1. “With Rwanda joining the calendar from the next decade, our sport will race in every inhabited continent, bringing the World Championship closer than ever to fans around the globe.

“Africa has always been part of Formula 1’s future, and from the beginning we were determined to return in the right way, with the right partner, a long-term commitment and a clear vision for creating meaningful impact.

“I would like to thank His Excellency Paul Kagame, President of the Republic of Rwanda, the Government of Rwanda, the Rwanda Development Board, FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem and everyone whose dedication and collaboration have made this possible.

“This is about much more than hosting a Grand Prix. Together, we can create lasting economic and social benefits through tourism, investment, skills development and local business growth, ensuring the positive impact of this event is felt for generations.

“For our fans, this is an especially exciting moment. Africa is home to more than 100 million Formula 1 fans, and that number continues to grow rapidly. We are bringing the excitement, energy and drama of Formula 1 closer to millions of people who have waited a long time to see our sport return to the continent, and we look forward to writing an exciting new chapter together.”