The 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco has evolved into far more than a football spectacle, emerging as the most commercially successful edition in the tournament’s history and underlining AFCON’s expanding global footprint.
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has confirmed that the Morocco 2025 tournament delivered a staggering 90 per cent increase in revenue compared to previous editions. This growth has been driven by improved sponsorship packages, wider distribution of media rights and a deliberate strategy to tap into new international markets, without losing touch with AFCON’s traditional fan base.
A clear indicator of this commercial surge is the rapid expansion of the tournament’s sponsor portfolio. CAF worked with just nine partners at the 2021 AFCON in Cameroon. That number rose to 17 at the 2023 edition in Côte d’Ivoire and has now reached a record 23 sponsors in Morocco — the highest in the competition’s history.
This transformation was the result of careful planning rather than chance. Following AFCON 2023, CAF conducted an extensive study of audience trends across different regions and identified significant untapped interest in several global markets.
Armed with these insights, the confederation reshaped its sponsorship and broadcast strategies, targeting high-growth territories such as China, Japan, Brazil and key European markets, while strengthening its foothold across Africa and other established regions.
As a result, AFCON’s commercial partners now represent a truly global mix, with brands from the United States, China, Germany, Japan, Morocco, Côte d’Ivoire, the United Kingdom and Türkiye joining the competition for the first time. The inclusion of the European Union as a sponsor further highlights the tournament’s rising international stature.
Established partners including TotalEnergies, Orange, Lonaci, 1xBet, Visa, Tecno and Puma have remained on board, while AGL, Danone and Unilever have also renewed their commitments.
CAF has also made a decisive move into the digital space. For the first time, AFCON has entered the eGaming arena with the launch of eAFCON, in partnership with Konami’s eFootball platform. The initiative marks a significant step toward engaging younger audiences and the rapidly growing esports community.
The confederation plans to fully integrate these digital platforms into its commercial strategy for future AFCON tournaments.
Ultimately, the commercial triumph of AFCON Morocco 2025 sends a clear message. Africa’s flagship football tournament is no longer defined solely by what happens on the pitch; it has established itself as a major player in the global sports business landscape, with the Morocco edition standing out as a defining turning point.
