The Confederation of African Football (CAF) said it has had a 90% increase in commercial revenue for the Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco, calling it “the most successful commercial story in the history of African football” but without providing any figures.
CAF said on Friday this was because of the increase in commercial partners and media rights distribution and venturing into new markets, most notably in Asia. “The growth has been matched by a steady expansion of the sponsor portfolio, with the number of commercial partners increasing from nine during the 2021 tournament to 17 at the finals in Ivory Coast in 2023,” a statement from African football’s controlling body said.
“For the 2025 edition in Morocco, CAF has continued to attract more partners and now has 23 sponsors. This expansion reflects both the attraction of new global brands and the retention of existing partners, for whom AFCON has been an excellent return on investment,” the statement added.
In its financial statements released at its congress last year, CAF said it had an income of $96 million in net contract revenues for the last Cup of Nations. CAF, in its annual report last year, said the tournament in Morocco was forecast to contribute $114 million in net profit.
The just concluded tournament in Morocco was won by Senegal after beating the host Morocco 1 – 0 in a match characterised by tension and controversy. The next tournament will be hosted in East Africa by Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania collectively.