CASABLANCA: The Confederation of African Football said it has had a 90 percent increase in commercial revenue for the Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco, calling it “the most successful commercial story in the history of African football” but without providing any figures.
CAF said on Friday this was because of the increase in commercial partners and media rights distribution and venturing into new markets, most notably in Asia.
“The growth has been matched by a steady expansion of the sponsor portfolio, with the number of commercial partners increasing from nine during the 2021 tournament to 17 at the finals in Ivory Coast in 2023,” a statement from African football’s controlling body said.
“For the 2025 edition in Morocco, CAF has continued to attract more partners and now has 23 sponsors.
“This expansion reflects both the attraction of new global brands and the retention of existing partners, for whom the Afcon has been an excellent return on investment,” the statement added.
In its financial statements released at its congress last year, CAF said it had an income of $96 million in net contract revenues for the last Cup of Nations.
CAF, in its annual report last year, said the tournament in Morocco was forecast to contribute $114 million in net profit.
Africa Cup of Nations commercial revenue up by 90%, says CAF
https://arab.news/4m54m
Africa Cup of Nations commercial revenue up by 90%, says CAF
- CAF said on Friday this was because of the increase in commercial partners and media rights distribution
- “For the 2025 edition in Morocco, CAF has continued to attract more partners and now has 23 sponsors
Russian Filippov wins first medal at Milan-Cortina Games for individual neutral athletes
- Filippov finished 1.52sec off Spain’s gold medallist Oriol Cardona Coll
- The Swiss pair of Arno Liethaa and Jon Kistler had led up the initial gruelling 65-meter climb
BORMIO, Italy: Russian Nikita Filippov won the first medal at the Milan-Cortina Games for individual neutral athletes when he claimed silver in the men’s ski mountaineering sprint in Bormio on Thursday.
Filippov finished 1.52sec off Spain’s gold medallist Oriol Cardona Coll, who won in 2min 34.03sec. Thibault Anselmet of France took bronze (+2.31) in the event’s debut at the Winter Games.
The Swiss pair of Arno Liethaa and Jon Kistler had led up the initial gruelling 65-meter climb.
But Cardona Coll showed all his experience to fight back and surge into the lead in an astonishing display of stamina and technical nous on the transition.
Filippov moved into second as the Swiss faded and tracked Cardona Coll down through the finish line.
It was a first medal for the 20-strong team of Russian and Belarusian athletes listed as ‘AIN’, meaning they are competing under a neutral flag.
Athletes from Russia and Belarus have faced bans from international competition since Russian forces invaded Ukraine in February 2022.
Filippov and his AIN teammates have been allowed to compete at these Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics under a neutral banner having met strict conditions.
Those included competing under a neutral flag, taking part only in individual events and undergoing checks to prove that they did not actively support the war in Ukraine or have any links with the army.
The same conditions applied to the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics at which 15 Russians and 17 Belarusians competed, winning a combined five medals.
