The Confederation of African Football (CAF) on Thursday announced that the winner of the 2023 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) will go home with a whopping sum of N6.2billion ($7,000,000) using the exchange rate of N891.8400 to a U.S dollar as at 5pm on Thursday, representing 40% increase in the prize money for the winner.
CAF also raised the prize money of the previous AFCON edition held in 2022 in Cameroon from $4.5 million to $5 million, an increase of about 11 per cent
CAF disclosed this in a statement on its website (CAFOnline).
According to the statement, the winner of the 2023 AFCON will be rewarded with $7 million while the runner-up will get $4 million.
Also, each of the two semi-finalists will receive $2.5 million and each of the four quarter-finalists will get $1.3 million.
CAF President Dr Patrice Motsepe said the aim of increasing the Prize Money is to help develop football within the continent.
“CAF has made significant progress over the past two years in increasing the Prize Money of the AFCON and all its other major competitions,” CAF President Dr Patrice Motsepe said.
“We have increased the Prize Money of the AFCON Winner to USD 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.”
The 2023 AFCON will kick off in Ivory Coast from January 13 to February 11, 2024, as 24 nations compete for the title.
Three-time African champion, the Super Eagles of Nigeria, will kick off their quest for a fourth AFCON title and will take on Equatorial Guinea on Sunday, 14th January 14, in their first match of Group A, before further clashes with host nation Cote d’Ivoire on January 18 and Guinea Bissau on January 22.
