BY MONICA IHEAKAM
The Confederation of African Football (CAF), yesterday announced multi -national oil company, Total as the new title sponsor of African football for the next eight years.
According to a statement from the continental soccer ruling body, CAF and Total reached an agreement under which Total will support CAF’S 10 principal competitions, beginning with the Gabon 2017 AFCON, which would be renamed the Total Africa Cup of Nations.
The sponsorship also covers the women’s AFCON, U17, U20, U23 AFCONS, the CHAN as well as the CAF Champions League, Confederation Cup and Super Cup.
CAF President, Issah Hayatou, described the partnership as a milestone aimed at accelerating African football’s development.
“This partnership is a major milestone in our ongoing search for additional resources to accelerate African football’s development, bring its governance up to date, upgrade its sports infrastructure and advance its performance globally.
“As a leading multinational in its field, with strong ties to Africa, Total will make a significant contribution to CAF’s initiatives to foster personal and professional growth for young Africans”, said Hayatou.
The scale and duration of this sponsorship reflect Total’s strong roots in Africa. With operations in more than 40 countries, the company is a major contributor to the continent’s economy.