CAF opens bidding for global commercial rights to next three AFCON tournaments

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has launched a tender for the worldwide commercial rights to the Africa Cup of Nations tournaments in 2028, 2032 and 2036, covering broadcast and sponsorship deals.

CAF confirmed in a statement on Thursday that the process will determine a single commercial partner for the next three editions of its flagship competition, with the rights package including global media and television broadcasting, sponsorship and associated marketing assets.

The governing body said bids will be accepted until 17:00 Cairo time on Monday, 24 August 2026. Interested parties have been invited to submit proposals within that timeframe for what CAF describes as the biggest sporting event on the African continent.

Record audiences for Morocco 2025

CAF underlined that the Africa Cup of Nations has become the fastest-growing national team tournament in world football, highlighting record audiences for the upcoming 2025 edition in Morocco.

According to CAF, the Morocco 2025 tournament has already attracted more than 3.2 billion television views and 6 billion digital views, figures which it says position the competition as the third-largest national team event globally, behind only the FIFA World Cup and the UEFA European Championship.

In its statement, CAF said the tender is designed to secure “an innovative partner” capable of opening up new revenue streams, expanding the Africa Cup of Nations’ global reach and strengthening the tournament’s overall commercial value.

Commercial growth and sponsor confidence

CAF also revealed that the Morocco 2025 edition has delivered a 95% increase in commercial revenues compared with the previous tournament cycle. The organisation said this growth reflects both a surge in the competition’s popularity and increasing sponsor confidence in African football.

The successful bidder will work closely with CAF on a worldwide strategy for marketing and selling broadcast and sponsorship rights, as well as other commercial assets linked to the Africa Cup of Nations. CAF stressed that the partnership will be expected to support “long-term sustainability and growth” for football across the continent.

Long-term rights package

The tender covers the full suite of commercial rights for the Africa Cup of Nations in 2028, 2032 and 2036. No host nations for those editions were detailed in CAF’s announcement, which focused solely on the commercial process.

CAF believes bundling three tournament cycles into a single rights offering will help deliver greater stability and long-term planning for both the confederation and its chosen partner, while capitalising on the rising global profile of the Africa Cup of Nations.