The tournament has helped these among other players showcase their skills , inspiring the next generation of African football to challenge traditional dominance of European leagues .
Africa ’ s Top Business
The brand exposure of the AFCON has enabled it to leverage the large viewership in Africa and internationally attracted major global brands as sponsors , showcasing their products to a vast audience - the current key sponsors include French Total Energies and Russia ’ s 1XBET . Sponsors have strategically activated their partnerships through stadium branding , fan engagement activities , and digital campaigns , creating strong brand association with the tournament .
Media and broadcasting rights from the AFCON 2023 have attracted record-breaking viewership across the globe , generating significant revenue from broadcasting rights . By the time of kick-off , in mid-January , there were over 47 both Pay and Free-To-Air ( FTA ) channels that were ready to screen matches . In addition , CAF , national teams and broadcasters have leveraged digital platforms to reach wider audiences , offering streaming options , social media engagement , and interactive content .
CAF in just over twelve days achieved over 1 million followers on TikTok , 150,000 + followers on YouTube , 500,000 + followers on Instagram , 85,000 + followers on Twitter and over 200 followers on Facebook .
There was increased fan engagement where official merchandise sales saw a surge with fans eager to show their support for their teams and players . While German apparel maker Puma leads the way with shirt and apparel for the participating teams , 10 of the participating countries used their own local manufacturers to procure shirts and such sporting apparel - including One All Sports ( Cameroon ), Errea ( Equatorial Guinea ), Guisport ( Guinea-Bissau ), Sandaland ( Tanzania ) and KOPA Arena ( Zambia ) to name but a few .
Challenges and the Road Ahead
Despite its undeniable success , AFCON faces challenges . Concerns regarding infrastructure , organization , and financial sustainability require continuous improvement . Previous hosts have ended up with empty or abandoned stadia with poor legacy plans from the local football federations and governments . Coupled with this are the lack of modern amenities affecting the overall spectator experience .
CAF must prioritize transparency , good governance , and investment in infrastructure to ensure the tournament ' s continued growth and success . A fair number of federations have internal squabbles that affect the players morale and the local football scenes . Instances of corruption within the organizing bodies continue to plague different federations . Transparency issues in financial transactions and fund allocations are also anathema in some of the local federations .
Currently there is over-reliance on sponsorships and external funding - the three top sponsors are non-African . It is interesting that we have quite a good number of African brands and companies that can sponsor or fund the game , it remains to be seen what initiatives will be in place for CAF in the coming years . There is a need for a more sustainable financial model to ensure long-term viability .
There is need to address concerns about fairness and diversity in the selection process and qualification rounds for the teams . There have been cases of players based in foreign countries dominating the selection process over the locally-based ones . In the same vein , ensure equitable opportunities for smaller nations to qualify and compete .
CAF ' s commitment to promoting grassroots football development can be achieved with a push to more youth tournaments at the national levels . AFCON serves as an inspiration for young talents across Africa , motivating them to pursue their passion for the sport . Additionally , promoting gender equality within the sport and fostering the development of women ' s football are crucial steps towards a more inclusive and equitable AFCON .
Growing interest in esports could see future AFCON editions incorporate gaming tournaments , attracting new audiences and sponsors . Kenya ’ s e-Sports Federation President , Ronny Lusigi noted that CAF has not yet ventured or embraced esports editions unlike other continental football federations . There are over 186 million people playing e-sport games on the continent ! With the world ’ s youngest population to boot !
Through various initiatives and partnerships , CAF can invest in nurturing the next generation of football stars , ensuring a sustainable pipeline of talent that can compete on the global stage . Opportunities for social initiatives should leave a lasting positive impact in the hosting nation .
The mandate for the CAF honchos is very clear - ensure a positive , long-lasting legacy beyond the immediate sporting event . As CAF navigates the challenges ahead , one thing remains certain : the roar of the AFCON will continue to echo across the continent , inspiring generations to come and solidifying its place as the biggest sporting event in Africa in years to come !
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Richard Wanjohi is a seasoned marketer with interests in data and sports . You can find him on X ( formerly Twitter ) @ rwanjohi or engage via e-mail at : RWanjohi @ gmail . com .