As the clock rapidly ticks down to the kick-off of Africa’s most prestigious tournament, slated to take place in Ivory Coast, the continental football governing body, the Confederation of African Football (CAF), has increased the tournament’s prize money.
According to CAF, the victorious team at the 2023 AFCON in Ivory Coast will be awarded a staggering $7,000,000 (about Shs27 billion). The increase aims to elevate the prestige of the tournament and further incentivize top-tier performances on the African football stage.
The runner-up will walk away with $4,000,000 (about Shs20 billion).
Furthermore, the stakes have risen for the semi-finalists, with each team in this stage now securing $2,500,000 (about Shs9.5 billion). The four quarter-finalists will also enjoy an increased reward, with $1,300,000 (Shs4.9 billion) allocated to each of them.
Dr. Patrice Motsepe, the President of CAF, expressed his enthusiasm for the positive strides made in the past two years in enhancing the prize money across various CAF 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. 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 said.