London-based Nigerian real estate developer, Yemi Edun, has reflected on how his lifelong passion for sports, nurtured during his childhood in Surulere, Lagos, has evolved into a commitment to youth development and grassroots sports promotion, following his participation in the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Mexico.
Edun said his sporting journey began in Surulere, where growing up near the National Stadium exposed him to football and other sporting activities that shaped his outlook on life.
According to him, the proximity of the stadium allowed children in the neighbourhood to watch national team training sessions, attend football matches and witness major sporting events, experiences that laid the foundation for his enduring love for sports.
He explained that those formative years instilled in him an appreciation not only for competition but also for the ability of sports to unite communities, inspire young people and create opportunities.
That passion, he noted, also influenced his early entrepreneurial ventures. One of his first businesses was “Shots,” a snooker hall designed to provide recreational opportunities while building a sporting community. Beyond operating the facility, he supplied snooker-table cloths and snooker balls, combining business with his interest in sports development.
Although he embraced several sporting activities, Edun said football remained his greatest passion. After relocating to the United Kingdom, he became a regular attendee at English Premier League matches and obtained memberships with Chelsea Football Club, where he describes himself as a devoted supporter, while also following Arsenal FC.
Over the years, he said he introduced numerous friends, business associates and clients to the experience of live football in England, with many attending their first Premier League matches through his invitation.
His passion eventually extended to the FIFA World Cup, which he has attended almost continuously since Germany hosted the tournament in 2006. According to him, each edition has offered a unique opportunity to experience not only world-class football but also the diverse cultures and traditions of host nations.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup, jointly hosted by Canada, Mexico and the United States, held special significance as the first tournament to be staged across three countries.
For this edition, Edun chose to concentrate his experience in Mexico, attending matches in Guadalajara, Monterrey and Mexico City while immersing himself in the country’s culture, cuisine and rich football heritage.
Recalling Mexico’s match against Ecuador, he described the atmosphere inside the stadium as unforgettable, saying more than 80,000 supporters appeared to speak with one voice throughout the game.
According to him, every tackle, pass and attacking move generated an extraordinary response from the crowd, reinforcing his belief that football extends far beyond what happens on the pitch.
He observed that the excitement continued outside the stadium, where thousands gathered at FIFA Fan Festivals and public viewing centres, demonstrating how the tournament transforms entire cities into celebrations of sport.
While his travels have taken him across some of football’s biggest stages, Edun stressed that his contribution to sports has never been limited to being a spectator.
Instead, he has focused on supporting grassroots initiatives capable of producing future champions, particularly in sports that often receive less commercial attention than football.
He explained that sustainable sporting success depends on identifying young talent early, creating competitive opportunities and providing athletes with long-term support.
This philosophy, he said, has informed his investments in chess and table tennis.
Edun currently sponsors Nigerian chess prodigy Deborah Quickpen, supporting the development of one of the country’s brightest young players. He also organised a widely acclaimed chess contest between Quickpen and renowned chess advocate Tunde Onakoya, an event that attracted international attention and boosted interest in chess development in Nigeria.
His intervention in table tennis has also yielded encouraging results. He has supported what has grown into one of Nigeria’s largest international youth table tennis championships, with the third edition concluding in December 2025.
According to him, the initiative was originally conceived as a five-year programme to discover players capable of following in the footsteps of Nigerian table tennis star Quadri Aruna. However, success came much sooner than anticipated when Matthew Kuti emerged as Nigeria’s national champion and West African champion within six months of the inaugural tournament.
For Edun, the achievement underscored the value of deliberate investment in grassroots sports and the importance of providing young athletes with opportunities to compete and develop.
Reflecting on his journey, he said three defining experiences continue to shape his relationship with sports: his childhood around the National Stadium in Surulere, his decades of following the FIFA World Cup across different countries, and his commitment to creating opportunities for the next generation of Nigerian sporting talents.
He added that his experience at the 2026 FIFA World Cup was more than another international football adventure, describing it as the latest chapter in a lifelong journey that has taken him from the streets of Surulere to the stadiums of Mexico, while reinforcing his determination to help young Nigerian athletes pursue their own dreams of sporting excellence.
