Abstract
A An na al le el le e U Un ni iv ve er rs si it tă ăţ ţi ii i d di in n O Or ra ad de ea a F Fa ac ci ic cu ul la a E Ed du uc ca aţ ţi ie e F Fi iz zi ic că ă ş şi i S Sp po or rt t Rev. noXXXV / /2 20 02 25 5 p pp p. .2 28 8-4 41 1 Article no. 3 35 51 10 04 4-8 89 91 1 ISSN 2 22 28 86 6-2 28 87 70 0, E-ISSN 1 12 22 24 4-5 51 10 00 0 Abstract: This study critically analyses the relationship between informal entrepreneurship and sporting events in sub-Saharan Africa, with a specific focus on Cameroon and Zimbabwe. Through the use of semi-structured surveys, the research gathered data from informal traders and entrepreneurs associated with various sporting events. The findings indicate that, by and large, sporting events serve as popular, ideal, and conducive sites for informal trading, primarily due to the absence of requisite registration or taxation. Informal traders offer a diverse array of items and products, ranging from food items and snacks to unique handicrafts and beads, as well as commonly sold fruits, vegetables, and groundnuts. Furthermore, these informal traders travel across different cities to buy and sell their products, predominantly utilising public transport. Most importantly, the study demonstrates that informal entrepreneurship surrounding sporting events is not merely opportunistic; it signifies a strategic adaptation to systemic constraints, such as limited access to capital, regulatory hurdles, and unemployment, particularly in resource-scarce contexts. These challenges prevailing narratives that portray informality as a temporary or undesirable economic condition, instead underscoring its entrenchment in local livelihoods and its potential for fostering resilience. The study offers recommendations that bear implications for regional integration and policy development.