CAF targets commercial growth ahead of 2027 AFCON in East Africa

The Confederation of African Football (CAF), in partnership with the Local Organising Committees (LOCs) of Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, has completed a commercial roadshow ahead of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations.

The TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations 2027 Commercial Roadshow was held across the three host countries from 14 to 18 September.

It brought together representatives from the banking, aviation, telecommunications, tourism, technology and trade sectors, among other industries.

Through a series of workshops and stakeholder engagements, CAF outlined the commercial potential of the tournament and highlighted opportunities for African and international brands to associate with one of the continent’s biggest sporting events.

CAF said the roadshow was designed to demonstrate the scale, reach and commercial value of the 2027 tournament while creating opportunities for businesses to engage with fans before, during and after the competition.

The governing body also pointed to the growing commercial strength of the Africa Cup of Nations, with the 2025 edition in Morocco recording a 95% increase in commercial revenues.

The tournament also reached a cumulative television audience of 3.2 billion and attracted a record 23 sponsorship partners, according to CAF.

A key feature of the 2027 roadshow was the introduction of a dedicated Deal Room, where CAF held one-to-one meetings with companies interested in securing commercial agreements across the three host nations.

The initiative is intended to give prospective partners a direct opportunity to explore sponsorship, marketing and activation opportunities linked to the tournament.

CAF said commercial partners would be able to build visibility and engage audiences through a range of marketing activities in the build-up to and throughout the month-long competition.

The 2027 Africa Cup of Nations will be jointly hosted by Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda under the theme PAMOJA, with the tournament scheduled to run from 19 June to 17 July 2027.