By Etienne Mainimo Mengnjo
Football leaders and stakeholders are being urged to step up efforts to eliminate polio and malaria. The call to action was made on the eve of the finals of the TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2025 in Rabat, Morocco during the launch of “Speak Up Africa in Action,” a new flagship sports-for-health platform aimed at accelerating polio eradication and malaria elimination across the continent.
The launch brought together football leaders, policymakers, global health partners, athletes, youth, media representatives, and civil society participants. Hosted in conjunction with the AFCON tournament, the event occurs at a critical juncture for public health.
With funding volatility, competing global crises, and declining public trust threatening hard-won gains, Speak Up Africa in Action aims to leverage the influence of sports to generate sustained political commitment, public engagement, and concrete action.
A central focus of the AFCON initiative is the Kick Out Polio campaign, implemented in partnership with the Global Polio Eradication Initiative. Although Africa was certified wild-polio-free in 2020, outbreaks of variant poliovirus persist in several countries, complicating and intensifying the final phase of eradication.
Drawing on the values of football—teamwork, discipline, and shared responsibility—the campaign calls on governments, families, and communities to ensure every child is vaccinated. Football champions and cultural figures are stepping forward to reinforce political commitment, establish predictable financing, and rebuild public confidence in immunization efforts.
“Africa has the leadership, credibility, and community trust needed to end polio and malaria,” said Yacine Djibo, founder and executive director of Speak Up Africa. “Speak Up Africa in Action brings those strengths together, using the power of sport to strengthen trust, mobilize partners, and maintain momentum where it matters most.”
Fatma Samoura, former Secretary General of FIFA, noted, “Sport speaks a language everyone understands. It unites people across borders, generations, and communities,” she added. “Harnessing that power for public health, especially in the final push to eradicate polio, unlocks momentum that institutions alone cannot generate. Speak Up Africa in Action illustrates how football can move hearts, build trust, and help protect the lives and futures of Africa’s children.”
“Football has always been about teamwork, discipline, and finishing what we start,” said Luís Figo, former international footballer and co-captain of the Zero Malaria Football Club. “This is a match we can, and must, win.”
“Football is not only a sport; it is a social responsibility with strong obligations,” said Hicham El Amrani, a football expert and former Secretary General of CAF. “Using its uniting force, federations and football institutions have a duty to protect children and communities and invest in their well-being. By engaging in the fight against polio and malaria, football can use its credibility, reach, and values to support public health and deliver victories that matter far beyond the pitch.”
As part of the AFCON initiative, Speak Up Africa signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Tibu Africa, a leading pan-African organization using sports to promote education, social inclusion, and community development. This partnership underscores Speak Up Africa in Action’s commitment to anchoring advocacy in long-term, community-based efforts.
Together, Speak Up Africa and Tibu Africa will enhance community engagement, leverage sports to build trust, and implement joint initiatives to accelerate polio eradication and malaria elimination in close collaboration with local stakeholders.
Throughout the event, speakers emphasized the responsibility and opportunity for football institutions to contribute to public health at a time when unity and trust are more critical than ever.
Speak Up Africa in Action is conceived as a recurring, mobile platform embedded in major sporting and cultural events. It combines high-level dialogue, immersive storytelling, athlete engagement, and youth participation. Its goal is to elevate African-led health leadership, strengthen trust, and ensure that the momentum generated on the pitch translates into tangible results in communities.
The AFCON edition marks the official launch of Speak Up Africa in Action, which will continue to evolve throughout the sports calendar, deepening partnerships and amplifying African-led health narratives while accelerating progress on the continent’s most pressing public health challenges.
The activation spotlighted the Zero Malaria Football Club, an alliance of globally recognized football figures mobilizing leadership and visibility to support malaria elimination across Africa. Launched in April 2023 by football legends Luís Figo and Khalilou Fadiga, the initiative backs the Zero Malaria Starts with Me movement led by the African Union Commission and the RBM Partnership to End Malaria.
Malaria remains one of Africa’s deadliest yet most preventable diseases, disproportionately affecting children under five. Amid declining international financing, the Zero Malaria Football Club serves as a critical advocacy and mobilization tool, connecting champions, policymakers, and partners to sustain political will and secure necessary resources.
