Cairo (CHATNEWSTV) — The Confederation of African Football and the European Commission on Sunday signed what both sides called a historic agreement to partner on key African football tournaments, including the 2025 and 2027 Africa Cup of Nations.
CAF President Patrice Motsepe and European Commissioner for International Partnerships Jozef Síkela signed the agreement in Cairo, expanding ties between Africa’s football governing body and the European Union.
“CAF is delighted with the agreement we signed today,” Motsepe said. “This partnership reflects the mutual commitment of CAF and the European Commission to the development and growth of African schools and youth football.”
He said the agreement also recognizes progress made in CAF governance, ethics, and transparency.
The European Commission will partner with CAF on several major tournaments:
TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2025 and 2027
TotalEnergies CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations 2024
CAF African Schools Football Championship, expected to reach 33,000 schools across the continent
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen emphasized the symbolic and economic ties between the two continents.
“The European Union and Africa are partners of choice,” she said. “Global Gateway is the Africa-Europe plan with more than EUR 150 billion investment. But it’s more. It’s about creating bonds — empowering young people, local communities, and entire regions. Sport and football are part of it.”
Síkela said the deal is about more than football.
“This is not just about sport,” he said. “It’s about keeping kids in school, giving them role models, and creating the conditions to tap their potential — on and off the pitch.”
He said the EC’s broader cooperation with Africa focuses on new jobs, quality health systems, and stronger public services.
CAF and the Commission said they will work to align their development goals through football, rooted in shared values of inclusion, fair play, and opportunity.
The agreement also aims to boost awareness of the EU’s Global Gateway strategy, an infrastructure and development initiative launched to counter China’s Belt and Road Initiative.
