TECNO Partners With AFCON to Renovate 100 African Football Pitches
Nairobi, Kenya – In a bold show of commitment to grassroots football, mobile technology brand TECNO has launched an ambitious initiative to renovate 100 football pitches across Africa, starting with Austin Grounds in Mulango Kubwa, Mathare.
The project was unveiled as part of TECNO’s broader partnership with the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as the Official Global Partner of AFCON Morocco 2025 and the East African tournament in 2027. This builds on the company’s involvement in the 2023 AFCON, deepening its investment in the continent’s most beloved sport.
“This partnership between TECNO and AFCON is not only about celebrating football at the highest level, but also about investing in the grassroots, where the true heartbeat of the game lives,” said Hashim Kamau, Member of County Assembly for Kinyago California Ward, during the groundbreaking ceremony at Austin Grounds. “Football is more than just a game — it is hope.”
Transforming communities through sport
The initiative targets informal settlements and underserved neighborhoods where access to quality sports infrastructure remains limited. The upgraded pitches will feature improved playing surfaces, better drainage, goalposts, fencing, and lighting to allow for extended training and matches.
Area Chief Angela Nzioka, who joined local youth at the ceremony, hailed the move as a transformative investment in both infrastructure and young people’s futures.
“Many of these communities produce incredible talent that often goes unnoticed due to lack of facilities. TECNO’s investment will give young players a real chance to grow,” she said.
A first-of-its-kind investment
TECNO becomes the first mobile phone company to fund grassroots football infrastructure at this scale on the continent. Unlike most sponsorships focused on tournament branding, this initiative directly targets the community level, where future football stars emerge.
CAF officials have lauded the partnership as a model for corporate-social collaboration that can help bridge the gap between talent and opportunity.
The Mathare groundbreaking marks the first of 100 planned renovations in several African countries ahead of AFCON 2025 and the East African tournament in 2027.
The renovated Austin Grounds are expected to be completed within weeks, offering thousands of local youth a safe and dignified space to train, play, and dream.
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