Panafrican News Agency

Egypt: Orange signs new 8-year deal with CAF

Cairo, Egypt (PANA) - Mobile network operator, Orange, has signed a new eight-year partnership with CAF as the Official Sponsor of five major CAF competitions from 2017 to 2024.

The new deal will run from 2017 to 2024 and will include events such as the Africa Cup of Nations.

Orange will also sponsor the Under-20 Africa Cup of Nations, the Women Africa Cup of Nations, the CAF Champions League and the CAF Super Cup as part of the agreement.

As well as the 2017 edition of the Africa Cup of Nations, the CAF’s flagship biennial international competition, the company, launched in 1993, will also partner with the 2019 event in Cameroon, the 2021 tournament in Cote d'Ivoire and the 2023 tournament in Guinea.

The deal encompasses the next four Under-20 Africa Cup of Nations events from 2017 to 2023 and the final phase of the CAF Champions League, the leading African club competition, from 2017 to 2024.

It also features the biennial Women Africa Cup of Nations between 2018 and 2024.

“Football is the number one passion of our customers in Africa and the Middle East, and we’re delighted that our new partnership will enable us to bring them even closer to the events and things they love,” Orange deputy chief executive Bruno Mettling, who is also the chief executive of Orange Middle East and Africa, said.

“These flagship competitions in African football generate an incredible spirit of unity across communities and people, and Orange is proud to reaffirm its commitment to supporting football, as we have done for nearly 20 years.

“Innovations that Orange has developed, like the Orange Football Club digital platform, are particularly popular in the countries where we operate and play a vital role in supporting football fans across the region.”

Gabon and Guinea-Bissau are joined by Burkina Faso and Cameroon in Group A for the 2017 tournament in Gabon, which begins on 14 January when the host nation take on Guinea-Bissau at the Stade de l'Amitié in Libreville.

Group B comprises of Algeria, Tunisia, Senegal and Zimbabwe, while Coe d'Ivoire, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Morocco and Togo make up Group C.

Ghana, Mali, Egypt and Uganda are the teams in Group D.

The event will conclude with the final on 5 February, 2017.
-0- PANA VAO 18Dec2016