Patrice Motsepe, Confederation of African Football (CAF) president, says the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) generated an estimated $2 billion in economic benefits for Morocco following the tournament’s record-breaking success.
- +Motsepe says AFCON 2025 generated $2bn economic boost for Morocco
Speaking at the Africa Forward Summit in Nairobi, Kenya, Motsepe said the estimate was based on a report commissioned by CAF.
Speaking at the Africa Forward Summit in Nairobi, Kenya, Motsepe said the estimate was based on a report commissioned by CAF.
According to Motsepe, the tournament also attracted a massive global audience, with 2.5 billion viewers watching AFCON matches hosted in Morocco.
CAF also recorded 6.2 billion digital and social media interactions during the competition.
“Billions of people worldwide were interacting and viewing what was going on in Morocco,” Motsepe said, adding that broadcasts reached audiences across 180 countries.
The tournament, which ran from December 2025 to January 2026, reportedly became one of the most commercially successful sporting events ever staged in Africa.
CAF said Morocco 2025 shattered previous financial and audience records, highlighting the growing global appeal of African football.
The governing body revealed that the competition attracted 23 major sponsors, compared to 17 during the 2023 AFCON in Ivory Coast and just nine during the 2021 AFCON in Cameroon.
The commercial expansion helped CAF record a reported 90 percent increase in revenue compared to previous editions.
Morocco continues to leverage major sporting events to strengthen tourism, infrastructure investment and international visibility ahead of co-hosting the 2030 FIFA World Cup alongside Spain and Portugal.
The country has increasingly positioned itself as one of Africa’s leading sports destinations through large-scale investments in football infrastructure and global sporting partnerships.
