The agreement was signed by CAF President Dr. Patrice Motsepe and European Commissioner for International Partnerships, Jozef Síkela, according to a CAF press release.
Regarding the agreement, the CAF President stated:
“CAF is delighted with this agreement with the European Commission, by which the EC becomes a partner of the CAF TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations 2025 and 2027, the CAF TotalEnergies Women’s Africa Cup of Nations 2024, and the CAF African Schools Football Championship.”
He added:
“This partnership is also a recognition of the significant progress made within CAF and the respect that stems from the governance, ethics, and transparency policies we have implemented, as well as our zero tolerance toward corruption.”
“Our partnership reflects the mutual commitment of CAF and the European Commission to the development and promotion of school and youth football in Africa, as well as the expansion of cultural, trade, and investment relations between our two continents. I would like to express my gratitude to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Jozef Síkela, and the EC for this exciting partnership.”
For her part, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen emphasized the strong link between Africa and Europe:
“The European Union and Africa are key partners. The European Union is Africa’s number one trade partner and investor. The Global Gateway is the Africa-Europe plan with over €150 billion in investments, financing infrastructure projects abroad. But it’s more than that. It’s about building connections, empowering youth, local communities, and entire regions. Sports and football are part of that.”
Jozef Síkela added that the Global Gateway strategy of the EC:
“aims to turn potential into opportunity. By partnering with CAF, we are making Europe’s partnership with Africa more visible, more tangible, and more relevant — especially for young people. It’s not just about sport. It’s about keeping kids in school, providing them with role models, and creating the conditions to unlock their potential — both on and off the pitch.”
“The main goal of our cooperation with Africa is to create new opportunities — new jobs, quality healthcare systems, improved public services, and new partnerships. Therefore, a key element of this agreement is the support for the CAF African Schools Football Championship, which will reach up to 33,000 schools across Africa,” he said.
Thanks to this partnership, CAF and the European Commission will work closely to align their development initiatives, grounded in shared values of inclusion, fair play, and opportunity across the continent. This agreement will also help raise awareness of the EC’s Global Gateway projects while ensuring that football remains a vehicle for growth and development.