Kenya to host freestyle football’s 2023 world finals

Caitlyn Schrepfer

Caitlyn Schrepfer performing during the Red Bull Street Style in Pula, Croatia on October 8, 2022.

Photo credit: Pool | Marjan Radovic | Red Bull

What you need to know:

  • Next year's World Finals in Kenya will mark the competition’s first return to Africa since 2010.
  • “Next year promises to be a ground-breaking year for freestyle football as, for the first time, 16 female athletes will face off in the World Finals, marking a key moment of growth for the sport,” the organisers said in a news release Sunday.

Kenya will next year host the Red Bull Street Style World Finals, the organisation governing the growing football genre announced at the weekend.

The confirmation was made after the 2022 Red Bull Street Style World Finals in Pula, Croatia, by World Freestyle Football Association (WFFA) President Steve Elias.

Next year's World Finals in Kenya will mark the competition’s first return to Africa since 2010.

“Next year promises to be a ground-breaking year for freestyle football as, for the first time, 16 female athletes will face off in the World Finals, marking a key moment of growth for the sport,” the organisers said in a news release Sunday.

Myke Rabar, the chief executive officer of Kenya’s Homeboyz Entertainment PLC, who is in Croatia for this year’s finals, yesterday thanked outgoing Sports Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohamed for lobbying Kenya’s candidature.

Instrumental

Rabar was also CEO of the 2021 World Under-20 Athletics Championships hosted at Kasarani. He signed the Red Bull Street Style World Finals hosting rights with WFFA.

“This could be as large as the World Under-20 Athletics Championships. CS Amina has really been instrumental in helping us close the deal,” Rabar told Nation Sport from Croatia where Norwegian Erlend Fagerli beat older brother Brynjar in a dramatic final to claim a third straight Red Bull Street Style men’s crown on Saturday.

“The 2023 World Freestyle Football Championship will attract participants from more than 35 countries,” Rabar explained.

“Kenya being the host country will be advertised worldwide. The anticipated eyeballs during the live coverage will exceed three million. A significant benefit is the long-term investment which comes from preparing for the major event,” he added.

“The city/country will have a legacy of improved sporting venues. We will also see improvement in infrastructure and transport to cater for an influx of tourists. The commercial benefit from the influx of international athletes and fans will be immense.”

American Caitlyn Schrepfer stunned fan favourite Aguska Mnich to take her first ever women’s title as the world's 16 best male and eight best female freestylers put on a dazzling display of style and skill.

As the competition celebrated 10 years of female participation, Schrepfer wowed the crowd with her acrobatic style and signature Cait-Flip, overcoming debutant Japan's Miyoshi Miharu in the semi-finals.

She went on to defeat former world champion Mnich to become the first female champion from the USA as 2021 winner Lia Lewis from the UK defeated Japan's Miyoshi to claim the final place on the podium.

Reported with resources from Red Bull