Africa must convert the growing commercial interest in women’s football into sustained investment in players, facilities and leadership, former Confederation of African Football (CAF) executive committee member Isha Johansen has argued following the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.
Johansen said the tournament offered an opportunity to strengthen the women’s game beyond the competition itself, with governments, football authorities and private investors facing pressure to build structures that can support players and clubs over the long term.
The 2026 edition of the TotalEnergies CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations was held in Morocco, with matches in Rabat, Casablanca and Fez. The tournament featured 16 national teams and offered a record $2 million prize to the winners, according to CAF.
CAF’s commercial report for the 2024 edition also recorded 30% sponsorship growth compared with 2022, alongside coverage on more than 60 global channels. The figures point to increased commercial interest, although they do not establish how much revenue reaches domestic women’s leagues or individual players.
Investment remains uneven
Johansen said women’s sport had long been treated as a charitable undertaking rather than a commercial investment, arguing that growing audiences and sponsorship opportunities were changing that perception.
Global revenues from elite women’s sport are projected to exceed $3 billion in 2026, according to Deloitte. The forecast reflects the expanding commercial value of women’s sport internationally, but it does not measure investment or revenue specifically generated by African women’s football.
Across Africa, the financial picture remains less clear. Johansen said funding continued to depend heavily on football associations, governments and a limited number of sponsors, while ticket sales and broadcasting income remained difficult to establish across the continent.
CAF has increased its financial commitment to the women’s game. For the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, the winners were set to receive $2 million, double the amount awarded to the champions in the previous edition. The increase formed part of a broader rise in tournament prize money.
South Africa has also attracted private sponsorship for its women’s league. In 2021, the South African Football Association announced a R17 million naming-rights agreement with Hollywoodbets for the women’s competition, providing an example of commercial investment at domestic league level.
Johansen also cited a reported 10-year, 20-billion-naira partnership involving Nigeria’s Women’s Football League as evidence of growing private-sector interest. The terms and current status of that agreement require independent confirmation.
Players and leadership
Despite the progress, Johansen warned that African women’s football risked losing talented players to Europe and the United States, where professional opportunities and financial rewards can be greater.
She argued that stronger domestic broadcasting arrangements, reliable sponsorship and greater support from local fans would help clubs build more sustainable operations.
Pay disparities between men’s and women’s national teams remain another concern. Johansen cited South Africa as an example of a country where women players previously earned substantially less than their male counterparts, although the comparison requires current, documented salary figures to establish the scale of the remaining gap.
She also called for more women to occupy coaching and sports administration positions.
South Africa’s Desiree Ellis and Kenya’s Beldine Odemba are among the women working in senior coaching roles in African football. Their careers, Johansen argued, demonstrate the importance of opening professional pathways for women.
Mentorship, she said, should form part of that effort, with experienced players, coaches and administrators helping younger women develop the skills needed to progress into leadership.
Governments and businesses urged to act
Johansen called on governments, football associations and private companies to invest in training facilities, grassroots programmes, leadership development and long-term infrastructure rather than concentrating resources on major tournaments.
She also identified digital platforms, streaming services and content produced by sportswomen as potential ways to build audiences and create additional commercial opportunities.
Tibu Africa, a Morocco-based non-governmental organisation, uses sport to support education, youth development and the social and economic inclusion of women and young people. Its programmes illustrate how sporting initiatives can extend beyond competition into training and employment opportunities.
Johansen said governments should establish transparent funding arrangements and fair conditions for women’s sport, while regional football bodies should coordinate standards and direct resources towards grassroots development.
She also called for greater representation of women in sports media, both in front of the camera and in production and other roles, arguing that visibility can help broaden public perceptions of women’s participation in sport.
TotalEnergies’ partnership with CAF, she said, offers an opportunity to support football development beyond elite competitions. The challenge is to ensure that sponsorship contributes to lasting opportunities for players and communities.
For Johansen, the future of African women’s football will depend on whether the attention generated by major tournaments leads to sustained investment, stronger domestic competitions and more opportunities for women to play and lead.
By Isha Johansen, former CAF Executive Committee Member and the first West African woman to serve on the FIFA Council.
