The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has started strengthening marketing capacity among stakeholders ahead of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), with a workshop in Dar es Salaam yesterday focusing on how the tournament can unlock greater commercial value.
CAF Marketing Director Hassan Alaaeldin Elkamah led the one-day workshop at Johari Rotana Hotel, where participants were trained on sports marketing strategies, stakeholder engagement and ways of turning major football tournaments into viable commercial opportunities.
The training comes as Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda prepare to jointly host the continental tournament, with marketing expected to play a key role in attracting sponsors, engaging fans and maximising business opportunities linked to AFCON 2027.
Mr Elkamah said effective marketing strategies were essential to ensuring major sporting events create value for fans, sponsors, commercial partners and other stakeholders.
He said sports marketing should not only focus on promoting matches but also on building strong relationships with audiences and partners while identifying opportunities generated by major competitions.
The workshop is part of CAF's efforts to build the capacity of stakeholders involved in sports marketing and strengthen preparations for major football events across Africa.
For Tanzania, the preparations also provide an opportunity for businesses and other stakeholders to position themselves to benefit from increased activity expected around the tournament, including sponsorship, fan engagement and related commercial activities.