CARPO Podcasts
with Desirée Custers and Hubert Kinkoh
In this special World Cup episode of the WASSAP podcast, we explore how football is increasingly shaping relations between Africa and the Gulf, from the current 2026 tournament to Saudi Arabia’s hosting ambitions for 2034.
Host Desirée Custers is joined by Hubert Kinkoh and Dr. Sebastian Sons to examine how football has evolved into a field of geopolitical competition, diplomacy, and strategic engagement. The discussion highlights the growing role of Gulf states as key actors in global sports, their growing engagement in Africa, and unpacks how major tournaments and investments are embedded in broader political and economic agendas.
The conversation also reflects on how these developments affect African stakeholders — from national federations to local football ecosystems — raising important questions about agency, sustainability, and the distribution of benefits within these evolving partnerships.
About the WASSAP podcast
The WASSAP: the Africa - West Asia Podcast translates the findings of a three-year research project on West Asian (Gulf)–Sub-Saharan African relations into an accessible, engaging audio format. It explores how economic, political, cultural, religious, and security ties between selected Gulf countries and African partners are evolving and why these shifts matter globally, particularly for Europe.
Hosts of the podcast are Desirée Custers (project manager, CARPO) & Hubert Kinkoh (Senior Researcher, CARPO)
About the WASSAP project
The project explores the multi-dimensional and complex relations between selected Gulf countries (Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Iran) and four Sub-Saharan countries (South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya, Ethiopia). It aims to deconstruct and analyze their economic networks, cultural and religious affiliations, and political and security cooperation. Based on empirical research, the project provides a better understanding of Gulf-African exchange, its challenges and opportunities, as well as its implications for Europe. The project is financed by the Robert Bosch Foundation and will run for three years.
About the episode
Episode 5: Special World Cup Episode: Football between Africa and the Gulf
Guests:
Guests:
Dr. Sebastian Sons, Senior Researcher, CARPO
Hubert Kinkoh, Senior Researcher, CARPO
Big thanks for the support to
Editor: Marco Bussi
