Stadium diplomacy in Africa emerged in the early 1970s conceived of by China as an expression of solidarity among postcolonial countries. In the early years, these projects functioned largely as symbolic gestures of political alignment and goodwill. However in the contemporary era, stadium diplomacy has taken on a more strategic role. No longer regulated to soft power, these infrastructure projects now serve as entry points for Chinese firms, financing, and labor to become structurally embedded within local economies.

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This shift must be understood within the broader political economy of post-independence Africa, where historic development trajectories and limited domestic capital markets have made external financing an important feature of state-building and infrastructure expansion. Unlike earlier Cold War-era aid on the continent, China’s contemporary engagement is institutionalized through long-term loans and construction contracts that embed Chinese firms and labor within local economies, versus OECD financing models that separate lending countries from contractor selection. 

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Not satisfied with just construction, China increasingly relies on Africa as a market to dump its products in, with Chinese exports rising from just over 1 billion USD in 1992 to 178 billion in 2024. As China overbuilds domestically and faces slowing growth, African infrastructure projects increasingly function as an external outlet for excess labor. 

 

The Africa Cup of Nations (CAN) showcases just how powerful Chinese stadium diplomacy is. From 2008, only two tournaments have not had stadiums built by Chinese companies or funds (South Africa (2013) and Egypt (2019)). The 2027 edition of CAN will be hosted in multiple Chinese built and funded stadiums with additional stadiums under construction purposefully for CAN. Stadiums are sites of collective pride and international visibility. Their construction by Chinese firms signals a shift from soft power rooted in goodwill and symbolism toward structural leverage rooted in dependency. Through these projects, China becomes embedded in the material and symbolic foundations of national life, raising important questions about asymmetrical influence and long-term autonomy in East Africa.