The European Union and CAF announce a historic sponsorship agreement for AFCON 2025 and beyond

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has shocked the world football community by announcing a historic sponsorship deal with the European Union (EU) for the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2025 and a number of other major competitions.

This agreement is the first time a political and economic union such as the EU has teamed directly as a sponsor of Africa’s largest football competition. It was announced in an official CAF press release this week. Having previously worked with TotalEnergies, this new partnership gives an event that is already gaining international recognition even more financial and developmental support.

TotalEnergies and the European Union will now fund AFCON 2025, which is scheduled to take place from December 21, 2025, to January 18, 2026. The deal, however, goes beyond that; it also covers the 2025 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (which will take place from July 5–26), the African Schools Football Championship, and the 2027 AFCON, which Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania are co-hosting.

CAF President Dr. Patrice Motsepe and European Commissioner for International Partnerships Mr. Jozef Síkela oversaw the signing ceremony in Cairo, Egypt.

Dr. Motsepe praised the historic collaboration in his remarks:

“The increase of cultural, commercial, and investment ties between our two continents, as well as the growth and development of African football, schools, and youth football, are all reflected in our collaboration between CAF and the European Union.

I want to thank Jozef Síkela, the EU, and the European Union Commission President Ursula von der Leyen for this wonderful collaboration.

In addition to bolstering political and economic relations between Africa and Europe, the agreement is anticipated to improve grassroots football, infrastructure projects, and youth development initiatives throughout the continent.

As CAF places its competitions alongside the greatest in the world, analysts predict that this might be a turning point for African football, bringing with it more resources, legitimacy, and visibility.