The Confederation of African Football said it has had a 90% 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 stated on Friday that this was due to the increase in commercial partners, media rights distribution, and expansion 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.

-Reuters

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By Kunle Solaja, Marrakesh, enroute to Casablanca

Nigeria will be aiming to further cement their status as Africa’s most consistent finishers when they face Egypt on Saturday in the third-place play-off of the Africa Cup of Nations in Casablanca.

The Super Eagles are targeting a record-extending ninth AFCON bronze medal, having officially finished third on eight previous occasions — more than any other nation in the competition’s history. Victory would also mark Nigeria’s 17th top-three finish at the Africa Cup of Nations, another continental benchmark.

There is a deep historical thread linking Nigeria and Egypt in AFCON bronze-medal contests. Nigeria’s first-ever third-place finish came against Egypt exactly 50 years ago at the 1976 finals in Ethiopia, while the Pharaohs themselves have claimed six bronze medals and could move closer to Nigeria’s record with a win on Saturday.

Saturday’s encounter will also add another chapter to a rivalry that dates back to Nigeria’s maiden AFCON appearance in 1963, when the two teams met in Lagos. Since then, both sides have often crossed paths at crucial moments in the tournament.

Nigeria arrive in Casablanca after a dramatic semi-final exit to hosts Morocco, losing on penalties after a goalless draw. Prior to that setback, the Super Eagles had scored in 12 successive AFCON matches and had found the net in all five of their games at the current finals. Despite failing to score in the semi-final, Nigeria still boast 14 goals at the tournament — their highest tally at any AFCON edition.

The Super Eagles also carry a perfect record in third-place matches, having won all seven they have contested without ever requiring a penalty shoot-out. Six of those victories were secured by a single-goal margin, underlining Nigeria’s ability to manage high-pressure fixtures of this nature.

Egypt, meanwhile, are appearing in a third-place play-off for the sixth time after a narrow 1–0 semi-final defeat to Senegal. They have won three and lost two of their previous bronze-medal matches, although this will be their first appearance in a third-place match in the 21st century.

Beyond medals and records, Saturday’s match offers both teams the chance to end their AFCON 2025 campaigns on a positive note, with pride, history and continental bragging rights at stake.

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By Kunle Solaja, Marrakech

Nigeria and Egypt’s third-place showdown in Casablanca will be the 32nd AFCON bronze-medal play-off, a fixture that has historically delivered goals, drama and, on occasion, penalty shoot-outs.

Across the previous 31 third-place matches, 87 goals have been scored at an average of 2.85 per game, with five editions decided on penalties. Egypt hold the record for the biggest victory in the fixture, having beaten Congo 4–0 in 1974, while the most recent play-off ended goalless before South Africa defeated DR Congo on penalties in 2023.

Saturday’s contest also deepens a long-standing AFCON rivalry between the two sides. The teams have met nine times at the Africa Cup of Nations, with eight of those encounters coming in the group stages. Overall, Nigeria and Egypt have faced each other 20 times, with Nigeria winning eight matches, Egypt six, and six ending in draws.

Their first AFCON meeting came in 1963, a nine-goal thriller won 6–3 by Egypt, while Nigeria gained revenge in later tournaments, including wins in 1976, 1980, 1990 and 2021. Egypt ended a long winless run against Nigeria with a 3–1 group-stage victory in 2010, before Nigeria again edged the Pharaohs 1–0 at the 2021 finals.

Nigeria’s third-place pedigree remains unmatched. The Super Eagles have officially finished third in 1976, 1978, 1992, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2010 and 2019, winning all seven matches in which a third-place play-off was contested. Their most recent bronze came in 2019, courtesy of a 1–0 victory over Tunisia.

Statistically, Nigeria arrive with strong defensive credentials, having gone 357 minutes without conceding a goal and keeping three successive clean sheets. Goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali made five saves in the semi-final against Morocco, while defender Calvin Bassey recorded the highest number of completed passes by any player at the tournament.

Egypt, by contrast, struggled for attacking rhythm in their semi-final loss to Senegal, registering just three shots and failing to record a shot on target until stoppage time. However, the Pharaohs remain historically efficient in bronze-medal matches, having scored in four of their five previous play-offs.

Individually, Mohamed Salah will be chasing history of his own. With 11 AFCON goals, the Liverpool forward could draw level with Hassan El-Shazly as Egypt’s all-time leading scorer at the finals.

As Nigeria chase another bronze to extend their continental record and Egypt seek to close the gap, Saturday’s clash promises to be shaped as much by numbers and history as by what unfolds on the pitch in Casablanca.

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