The Confederation of African Football (CAF) and the European Commission (EC) have announced a formal partnership that will see the EC backing several of CAF’s flagship tournaments — including upcoming editions of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, and the CAF African Schools Football Championship.

The agreement was signed in Cairo on Monday by CAF President Dr Patrice Motsepe and European Commissioner for International Partnerships, Jozef Síkela, marking a new chapter in Euro-African cooperation — and one that brings development diplomacy to the heart of the continent’s most popular sport.

The deal provides a significant platform for the EC to promote its €150 billion Global Gateway investment programme, designed to boost infrastructure, connectivity and education across Africa. By aligning with CAF, the EC aims to tap into football’s ‘unmatched reach’ — particularly among young people — to deliver on its soft power and development goals.

“This partnership reflects the mutual commitment of CAF and the European Commission to the growth of African schools and youth football,” said Motsepe. “It’s also a recognition of the significant progress we’ve made in governance, ethics, and transparency. We’re not just building competitions — we’re building futures.”

The partnership will link the EC directly to CAF’s biggest stages: AFCON 2025 in Morocco and AFCON 2027, the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, and the CAF African Schools Football Championship, which has ambitions to reach more than 33,000 schools across the continent.

EC President Ursula von der Leyen framed the agreement as part of a wider strategic bond between the continents: “The European Union is Africa’s largest trading partner and investor. But Global Gateway is more than just money — it’s about empowering young people and communities. Football is part of that.”

Síkela, who represented the EC at the signing ceremony, was more direct in linking the partnership to Europe’s broader political and economic aims. “This isn’t just about sport,” he said. “It’s about creating jobs, improving schools, and giving kids role models on and off the pitch. Football is the vehicle — but opportunity is the destination.”

Insideworldfootball.com

As the English Premier League campaign draws to a close, clubs are beginning to pivot commercially towards next season – and that means it’s time to reveal next season’s on-pitch money makers.

Manchester City, Arsenal and Chelsea became the first clubs to unveil their 2025-26 home kits over the past week, offering fans, sponsors and stakeholders an early glimpse of the visual identity for the new campaign.

City were first out of the gate, releasing their Puma-designed kit on May 13. The shirt features a white diagonal sash – a first for a City home kit – a nod to historic away designs from the 1970s and beyond.

Arsenal unveiled their new look later in the week, opting for evolution over revolution. The new strip closely resembles this season’s version and was worn for the first time in their 1-0 victory over Newcastle United at the Emirates on Sunday.

“I love our new kit, it looks fresh,” said Arsenal youngster Myles Lewis-Skelly. “I’m excited to wear this in front of our incredible supporters next season. Their energy lifts us – when we step out in the shirt, we feel it more than ever.”

Chelsea followed on Saturday morning with a home kit launch tied to a promotional campaign featuring London-based rapper Central Cee. The release, however, came without a front-of-shirt sponsor, with the club’s short-term deal with DAMAC – a Dubai-based property group – due to expire at the end of this season.

Chelsea are actively searching for a new principal sponsor as they look to maximise commercial opportunities ahead of the new season.

Meanwhile, a separate leak of Chelsea’s 2025-26 kit briefly appeared on Nike’s social media platforms earlier last week before being swiftly removed.

With just one gameweek remaining in the current campaign, more clubs are expected to unveil next season’s kits in the coming days as attention increasingly shifts to commercial strategy and global branding for the new season.

The last matchday of the campaign usually has half the teams playing in a completely different kit to the one they started the season wearing.

Insideworldfootball.com

Brentford’s commercial partnership with Motors is entering a new phase, with the automotive platform elevating its recently acquired brand Cazoo to the forefront of its multi-year deal with the English Premier League club.

The updated arrangement builds on the relationship first established at the start of the 2024-25 season, with Motors now using its Brentford platform to accelerate exposure for Cazoo, which it relaunched in March 2025 as the flagship brand in its advertising network.

Motors acquired Cazoo earlier this year as part of a strategy to challenge established leaders in the UK car buying market. Cazoo is now aiming to reassert its presence in the highly competitive online auto space.

Under the new branding direction, Cazoo will take over as the face of the partnership, with expanded matchday activations at the Gtech Community Stadium, in-venue media placements, and access to Brentford players for exclusive content and social campaigns.

The move reflects a broader trend in football sponsorships, where brand narratives and identity alignment are playing a greater role in partnership strategy, beyond traditional visibility metrics.

On the announcement, Brentford commercial director Fran Jones said: “This is an exciting time for Motors as they relaunch Cazoo. We’re thrilled that Brentford will be an important part of its ambitious plans for the brand and look forward to supporting its growth in the coming years.”

Lucy Tugby, Cazoo’s marketing director, added: “We’re delighted to promote Cazoo and expand on our successful partnership with Brentford. We have seen great results from our partnership to date and building this out forms part of our commitment to sustainable investment in the Cazoo brand.

“We’ve got some exciting plans in store for the 2025-26 Premier League season, as we accelerate our shared ambition to become a challenger brand.”

Insideworldfootball.com