Telecommunications group Orange has signed an eight-year extension to its partnership with the Confederation of African Football.
The new deal runs from 2017 to 2024 and includes sponsorship of five major Caf competitions.
The agreement begins with the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations, which takes place in Gabon from January 14 to February 5. The deal also covers the 2019 tournament in Cameroon, the 2021 competition in Ivory Coast and the 2023 event in Guinea.
Additional tournaments covered by the agreement include the U20 Africa Cup of Nations, the Women Africa Cup of Nations, the Caf Champions League and the Caf Super Cup.
The company’s overarching sponsorship strategy, Orange Sponsors You, will be at the heart of the new deal. As part of the agreement, Orange will double the amount of data in its offers, starting in Mali. Almost 30,000 tickets will also be given out to fans over the duration of the partnership, while other fan engagement initiatives will be organised including Fan of the Match campaigns.
Bruno Mettling, deputy chief executive of Orange and chief executive of its Middle East and Africa division, 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.”
Orange previously served as title sponsor of the Africa Cup of Nations but was replaced by French multinational energy firm Total in July. Orange first partnered with Caf in 2008.