A research and insights studio focused on football, specialising in African contexts. Its work decodes the cultural signals shaping the game and informs how football is experienced and developed across fans, local communities and international competitions.



Ways of Work:

Insights consulting: strategic brief, cultural research, and ethnography.
Editorial writing: analytical essays, long-form analysis, and expert commentary.
Public Engagement: lectures, workshops, and moderation of public discussion.


Collaborated with:

Selected collaborations include FIFA / FIFA Museum, the Royal Belgian Football Association, Nike, Air Afrique and A Magazine Curated By.


Contact:

To commission a brief, discuss a collaboration or invite a talk,
please write to contact@harlemlamine.com



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Graphic design & development : Théo Hennequin & Laurent Mbaah - Circlar- 2024
Typefaces : Messapia & Helvetica LT Std

Dossier Africa Cup of Nations beyond the field Morocco 2025

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Empty Stands are not the Whole picture

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Anti-black racism: The case of Belgian football as a field work

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African Football: Reinvesting the Legacy

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Le maillot: One size fits all

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"Paris African Cup" in A Magazine Curated for

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Stadiums or hospitals? Moroccan youth denounces a disconnection from reality

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Whose Game is remembered?

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Archiving Football Culture is Radical and Necessary

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Thinking through buildings: the Tata Raphael stadium

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ABSTRACT

In this essay, I examine the “Paris African Cup” as a case study to analyze how football can serve as a powerful cultural force. Beyond the game itself, the tournament becomes a way for people to reconnect with their African identity and to build a sense of belonging.

During the event, places like Square Léon and the Goutte d’Or are transformed. They become spaces where residents gather, interact, and share a collective experience. In this case, football unites and reshapes the story of a neighborhood, and creates shared memories.

The “Paris African Cup” illustrates how a local tournament can strengthen community bonds, help people with multiple identities rethink their place in the African diaspora, and restore connections to ancestral roots by representing their nations.

PUBLICATION INFORMATION

Originally published in A Magazine Curated By, “Synthesis” (2024).

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