Telecommunications giant Orange has concluded a new long-term partnership deal as official sponsors for the Confederation of African Football (CAF) flagship competitions.
The new eight-year deal will see the France-based company confirmed as an official sponsor of five major CAF competitions from 2017 to 2024, beginning with the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Gabon this January.
Orange has therefore extended its sponsorship with the African soccer governing body to include the 2019 tournament in Cameroon, the 2021 competition in Cote D’Ivoire and the 2023 edition of the Nations Cup in Guinea.
The AFCON, which sees 16 nations across Africa take part in a three-week tournament to decide the champions of the continent, is the biggest competition in Africa, and remains a huge draw-card for CAF in terms of sponsors.
The current champions are Cote D’Ivoire, having defeated Ghana in the final of the 2015 competition following a penalty shootout. The Elephants will defend their title in Gabon early next year.
The sponsorship also covers the Under-20 Africa Cup of Nations, the Women Africa Cup of Nations, the CAF Champions League and the CAF Super Cup.
This deal extends a successful sponsorship partnership that dates back to 2008, when Orange first agreed to partner with CAF.
The new partnership covers:
Earlier in the year global integrated energy producer and provider Total reached an agreement with CAF as the official title sponsor of African football for the next eight years.
Total replaced French telecommunications giant Orange as the title sponsor of the AFCON, with their agreement which was penned in 2009 coming to a close this year. Despite no longer being title sponsor, Orange has extended its deal as a major partner and sponsor.
