CAF sign on oil and gas company Total as headline sponsor

The Confederation of African Football and Total reached an agreement to become the official sponsor of African football for the next eight years.

Total will support CAF's ten principal competitions, starting with the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), which has a global audience.

Renamed the Total Africa Cup of Nations, the tournament will be held in Gabon from January 14th to February 5th, 2017.

'This partnership is a major milestone in our ongoing search for additional resources to accelerate African football's development, bring its governance up to date, upgrade its sports infrastructure and advance its performance globally,' commented Issa Hayatou, President of the Confederation of African Football.

'As a leading multinational in its field, with strong ties to Africa, Total will make a significant contribution to CAF's initiatives to foster personal and professional growth for young Africans.'

Football is equal parts enthusiasm, sharing and team performance, concepts that resonate across cultures.

'We are delighted to partner with CAF, because Africa is part of Total's makeup,' commented Patrick Pouyanné, President and Chief Executive Officer of Total.

'Through this commitment, we hope to strengthen ties to our stakeholders and customers through exciting, celebratory events that are always popular, including within our own teams.'

The scale and duration of this sponsorship reflect Total's strong roots in Africa.

With operations in more than 40 countries, the company is a major contributor to the continent's economy.