As the 34th African Cup of Nations (AFCON) approaches, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) has made a significant announcement, shaking up both the prize money and the broadcasting landscape for the continent’s most prestigious football tournament.
In a move to amplify the tournament’s allure, CAF revealed a 40% hike in prize money for the 2023 AFCON in Côte d’Ivoire. The winner of this edition is set to secure a substantial $7 million, marking a notable surge from the previous prize. The runner-up is poised to receive $4 million, with $2 million each guaranteed for the two semi-finalists and $1 million for each of the four quarter-finalists.
Patrice Motsepe, the President of CAF, emphasized the significant strides made by the organization in bolstering prize money for not only AFCON but also its other premier competitions.
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In a statement to cafonline.com, Motsepe affirmed, “CAF has made significant progress over the past two years in increasing the prize money of the AFCON and all its other major competitions. We have increased the prize money of the AFCON winner to $7,000,000, which is a 40% increase from the previous AFCON prize money.”
Motsepe also expressed confidence in the financial boost benefiting football development and various stakeholders, including member associations, anticipating positive impacts on their administrative capacities.
“I am confident that a portion of the prize money will contribute to developing football and also benefit all the football stakeholders, as well as assist our member associations with their administrations,” he added.
This raise continues a trend of increment in African football prize money in recent years. The 2021 AFCON champions were rewarded with $5 million, a notable increase from the previous $4.5 million. In 2019, the prize money was $4 million, a substantial 64% leap from $1.5 million, demonstrating CAF’s concerted efforts to elevate the tournament’s financial stature.
However, a seismic shift occurred in the broadcasting realm just days before the tournament’s kickoff, as Multichoice’s DStv channels announced they wouldn’t air the biennial event. The decision was attributed to the failure to secure broadcasting rights for the tournament.
“SuperSport Channel will not broadcast the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2023 scheduled for January 13th to February 11th, 2024, because the channel has not secured the rights to broadcast the tournament,” Multichoice announced.
This development comes following the acquisition of the broadcasting rights by Togolese broadcaster New World TV for all CAF competitions in the Sub-Saharan Africa region, ousting previous holders, including SuperSport International and Canal Plus.
The three-year deal between New World TV and CAF encompasses rights for 13 competitions, including the 2023 and 2025 AFCON tournaments across 46 countries in the region. Consequently, free-to-air stations in these nations seeking to broadcast AFCON and other CAF competitions must sublicense rights through New World TV.
This abrupt blackout on DStv, a longtime broadcaster of football content across Africa, particularly disheartens Nigerian viewers, leaving them bereft of the opportunity to watch the Super Eagles’ pursuit of a fourth AFCON title.
However, the absence of AFCON on DStv signifies a paradigm shift in African football television rights, posing both challenges and opportunities for broadcasters and viewers across the continent