The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has launched a tender for the broadcasting rights to the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, set to be held in Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda. The tournament, dubbed "Bamoja" 2027, will take place in East Africa from June 19 to July 17, 2027. This significant move by CAF marks the commencement of a full process to secure media partners for its premier men's football tournament. CAF also announced separate tenders for the broadcasting rights of its other continental competitions, signaling a broader push to commercialize its events and expand their global reach.
Tender Specifics and Deadlines
The tender for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations encompasses both free-to-air and pay-TV rights, covering a diverse range of languages to ensure broad accessibility across the continent and beyond. These languages include English, Swahili, Portuguese, IseZul, Wolof, Yoruba, and other local African languages. This multi-language approach shows CAF's commitment to reaching a wide and varied audience. For the 2027 edition of the tournament, French language rights have been specifically excluded from the pay-TV packages, a notable change in the distribution strategy. Interested broadcasters and media companies must submit their files by the deadline of September 14, 2026. This careful process allows CAF to secure full coverage across various platforms and linguistic demographics for its flagship event, ensuring that the excitement of African football is accessible to as many fans as possible.
Scope of Competitions Included
Beyond the main event, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) has also launched separate broadcasting rights tenders for several other continental competitions, demonstrating a holistic approach to its commercial strategy. These tenders include the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations Qualifiers, which precede the main tournament and are key in building anticipation for the finals. Additional events covered are the 2026 Beach Soccer Africa Cup of Nations and the 2026 Futsal Africa Cup of Nations, showcasing CAF's commitment to different formats of the sport. The youth tournaments are also a significant part of the offering, specifically the 2027 Africa U-20 Cup of Nations and the 2027 Africa U-17 Cup of Nations Morocco, which are vital for nurturing future talent. The Africa U-23 Cup of Nations is included in the package of rights being tendered, noting the importance of Olympic-qualifying age-group competitions. These separate processes indicate a broad strategy by CAF to commercialize its full portfolio of events, ensuring financial stability and increased exposure for African football at all levels.
Africa's Premier Sporting Event
The Africa Cup of Nations is classified as the biggest sporting event on the continent and the fastest-growing global football competition, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) confirmed. This confirmation shows the tournament's increasing prominence on the international sports calendar. The 2025 edition of the tournament, hosted by Morocco, achieved unprecedented record numbers, attracting over 3.2 billion television viewers. This substantial viewership figure notes the immense popularity and widespread appeal of the event. Additionally, the event drew 6 billion views across various digital platforms, demonstrating its significant engagement in the modern media landscape.
The 2025 edition's viewership figures positioned it as the third-largest men's national team football tournament globally, a remarkable achievement for African football. It ranked just behind the FIFA World Cup and the UEFA European Championship in terms of audience reach, solidifying its status as a major international spectacle. CAF noted the tournament's significant growth and its established position as a premier international sporting spectacle, attracting a massive global audience and continuing to break new ground in terms of viewership and digital engagement. The upcoming 2027 edition is anticipated to build on this success, further cementing the Africa Cup of Nations as a cornerstone of global football.