![Scenes from the AFCON 2021 opening ceremony in Cameroon on January 9, 2022. [Photo/ Courtesy]](https://businesstoday.co.ke/wp-content/plugins/phastpress/phast.php/c2VydmljZT1p/bWFnZXMmc3JjPWh0dHBzJTNBJTJGJTJGYnVzaW5lc3N0b2RheS5jby5rZSUyRndwLWNvbnRlbnQlMkZ1cGxvYWRzJTJGMjAyMiUyRjAxJTJGUGljdHVyZXMtRnJvbS1ZZXN0ZXJkYXlzLUFGQ09OLU9wZW5pbmctQ2VyZW1vbnkuanBlZyZjYWNoZU1hcmtlcj0xNjQxODE1MDkzLTI1NzAyNiZ0b2tlbj0zMzExNzY4ODFjNGU0NjI3.q.jpeg "Pictures-From-Yesterdays-AFCON-Opening-Ceremony")
Tik Tok has struck its biggest brand partnership in Africa so far after being unveiled as an official sponsor of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2021 tournament which got underway in Cameroon on January 9, 2022.
The video-centric social networking app in 2021 usurped Google as the most popular website in the world based on domain visits. It has been boosting its presence in football and was also the sponsor of the rescheduled EURO 2020 tournament held last year.
Tik Tok’s partnership with the Confederation of African Football (CAF) will see AFCON content placed front and centre on the app. The year-long deal also covers this year’s CAF Champions League and the CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.
For AFCON, the partnership will see Tik Tok serve up pre and post-match content, highlights, related challenges and ways for fans to engage with their favourite African players.
It will also include in-app activations, a special hub for the tournament and special features and filters.
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Welcoming the deal, CAF General Secretary Veron Mosengo-Omba stated: “We are truly delighted to have TikTok come on board as an official sponsor. Football content in Africa is in high demand and together with TikTok we are able to create and encourage the online community to engage in and create the type of content that will take both brands to new markets.”
“To us, this is not just about being a football federation but about continuing to be the single-biggest football entertainment producers in Africa, giving fans everywhere, world-class football experiences throughout the year.”
Tik Tok, on the other hand, urged fans in Africa to take the opportunity to engage with the tournament and African football stars on the app.
Boniswa Sidwaba, TikTok content operations manager for Africa, stated: “As a proudly multicultural continent, Africa is beaming with creativity and talent. We see a lot of potential to harness and cultivate creative football expression on our platform.
“We certainly look forward to inspiring fans to celebrate and participate in content unique to TikTok, in the most African way possible, providing great entertainment for the community.”
Other sports partnerships by Tik Tok include deals with the UFC, TNT Sports and F1 team Aston Martin.
In Kenya, it partnered with the Kenya Tourism Board (KTB) in August 2021 to deliver live action from The Great Migration in the Masai Mara National Park in Kenya as well as educational videos about the event and Maasai community.
