The Confederation of African Football President, Dr Patrice Motsepe, has praised the 2025 African Cup of Nations tournament in Morocco as the most successful in terms of organisation and commercial revenue since the event began in 1957.
Speaking to the media on Saturday in Rabat, Motsepe disclosed that the commercial revenue for the Morocco AFCON has increased by 90% compared to the 2023 edition in Ivory Coast.
“The quality of the stadiums, the infrastructure, and the facilities are world-class. And, of course, my duty is to rotate. I want each of the zones, the regions, the five zones, to have the opportunity to host the top competitions in Africa,” Motsepe stated.
According to CAF, this growth has been accompanied by a steady expansion of the sponsor portfolio, with the number of commercial partners rising from nine during the 2021 tournament to 17 at the finals in the Ivory Coast in 2023. In the 2025 edition in Morocco, CAF has continued to attract more partners and now boasts 23 sponsors.
Meanwhile, Motsepe has defended the new 4-year AFCON tournament and the annual Africa Nations League, asserting that it is manageable and will elevate the level of the game.
“Now it is about an AFCON every year with the African Nations League. For us, we must ensure that the everyday people we are accountable to understand that what we have done is beneficial for them. This is the right decision, and I will not refrain from making it because it is well thought out, despite unjustified allegations that Europe does this and that,” Motsepe said.
He revealed that the inaugural edition of the quadrennial AFCON will be held in 2028, with bids open for countries to host, while the first African Nations League will be staged in 2029.
