The Council of Southern African Football Associations (COSAFA) has announced the signing of two major sponsors deals ahead of the COSAFA Cup 2015 to be staged in South Africa from May 17-30.
A new sponsorship agreement with Castle Lager will see Africa’s favourite beer once again take on the role of brand partners for the COSAFA men’s senior competition and renew ties with Southern Africa’s biggest football tournament.
And coming on board for the first time will be Austrian energy drink Power Horse, which will be a sponsor for all COSAFA events in 2015 as they reiterate their commitment to football on the continent having also been a sponsor of the African Nations Championship 2014 in South Africa.
Castle Lager have a rich history with the COSAFA senior competition, having been inaugural sponsors of the event from 1997 until their initial contract ended in 2007.
They become synonymous with the event and have returned to continue that relationship with the aim of helping football in the region grow to greater heights.
“We are thrilled to have Castle Lager back on board as a brand partner for our flagship competition, the COSAFA Cup. The Castle Lager brand is well known across Southern Africa and they will be popular partners for the tournament to be staged in South Africa in 2015. We have always valued their partnership over many years of our association with them and look forward to not only another fine event with Castle Lager on board for 2015, but also into the future as well,” says Suketu Patel, COSAFA President.
Castle Lager General Manager Alastair Hewitt says the legendary beer brand is excited about continuing their partnership with the COSAFA Cup and also the entry of Ghana and Tanzania into this year’s event.
“As a pioneering sponsor of The COSAFA Cup from its start in 1997, Castle Lager is excited to be involved again this year in what is a major event for not just for our region, but for the continent,” Hewitt said.
“Football is the game of the people of Africa, Castle Lager is the beer of Africa and the COSAFA Cup provides us with the opportunity to bring together not only teams from our Southern Africa region, but also this year from the West and  East of the continent in guest countries Ghana and Tanzania. Proof that It All Comes Together With A Castle.
“At Castle Lager we are passionate about football having been involved in the game for almost 60 years and into the future we aim to assist the COSAFA Cup to grow to another level for the benefit of the whole of our region and its loyal Superfans.”
Founded in 2004, Power Horse has established its products as a leading brand in the premium segment of energy drinks. Power Horse is represented in more than 50 countries worldwide and is the leading energy drink in wide parts of Africa and the Middle East.
“We welcome Power Horse as our new partners for this year and have been impressed by their commitment to the game on the continent. They have shown a lot of energy in the way they have entered the football space and they are a welcome addition to our sponsorship stable. We hope to enjoy their support for many more years to come,” Patel said.
The COSAFA Cup returns after taking a break last year, with Zambia set to defend the title they won on home soil in 2013 with an all-star cast having been assembled for this year’s event.
Angola and Comoros have decided not to participate in the COSAFA Cup 2015 and have been replaced in the line-up by Ghana and Tanzania, who bring contrasting styles from across the continent.
The competition has been a launch-pad for a number of international careers, the likes of Benjani Mwaruwari (Zimbabwe), Teko Modise and Katlego Mphela (South Africa), Chris Katongo (Zambia), Flavio (Angola), Dipsy Selolwane (Botswana), Dennis Masina (Swaziland), Essau Kanyenda( Malawi),  and Tico-Tico (Mozambique) all have announced their potential at the tournament.
The 14 countries that make up COSAFA are Angola, Botswana, Comoros, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Seychelles, Seychelles, Swaziland, Zambia, Zimbabwe