African Football Takes Center Stage at Official Launch of Toyota Cup The official launch of the Toyota Cup, an international football tournament for under-17 players, took place in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, on Tuesday, January 17th. The event was presided over by the Ivorian Minister of Sports, Danho Paulin Claude. The Toyota Cup aims to develop the skills of young African footballers and promote the sport on the continent. The inaugural edition of the tournament will feature eight teams from across Africa, including host nation Côte d’Ivoire, Nigeria, Ghana, Cameroon, Senegal, Morocco, South Africa, and Egypt. Speaking at the launch, Minister Danho Paulin Claude expressed his gratitude to Toyota for its commitment to African football. “The Toyota Cup is a great initiative that will help to develop the next generation of African football stars,” he said. “We are proud to host the tournament in Côte d’Ivoire and we look forward to welcoming the teams and fans from around the continent.” Toyota’s President and CEO for Africa, Shinzo Yano, said that the Toyota Cup is a testament to the company’s long-standing support of football in Africa. “We believe that football has the power to unite people and to make a positive impact on society,” he said. “We are committed to supporting the development of African football and we are confident that the Toyota Cup will be a success.” The tournament will be played in two groups, with the top two teams from each group advancing to the semi-finals. The final will be held on February 26th at the Stade Félix Houphouët-Boigny in Abidjan. The tournament is expected to attract a large crowd of fans and is set to be a major event on the African football calendar. It is hoped that the Toyota Cup will help to raise the profile of youth football in Africa and provide a platform for young players to showcase their talents.Toyota Cup: African Football Giants to Clash in New Annual CompetitionToyota Cup: African Football Giants to Clash in New Annual Competition The Toyota Cup, a new annual competition, has been launched in partnership with Kaizer Chiefs Football Club and Toyota South Africa Motors (TSAM). The inaugural edition of the tournament will take place on Sunday, July 28, 2024, at the Toyota Stadium in Bloemfontein. Participating Teams The Toyota Cup will feature Kaizer Chiefs, South Africa’s biggest football brand, against some of the continent’s top football clubs. In its inaugural edition, Amakhosi will face Tanzania’s most successful football team, Young Africans Sporting Club. Pre-Match Entertainment Before the main clash, football fans will have the opportunity to enjoy an opening match between Kaizer Chiefs and Bloemfontein Celtic legends at 12:30pm. The legends match will honor the late Ntate Petrus Molemela, Bloemfontein Celtic’s life president, and the football-loving people of Mangaung. Prize Giveaway One lucky fan will have the chance to win a brand new Toyota Corolla Cross XI CVT valued at over R400,000. To enter the competition, fans must purchase a ticket for the Toyota Cup match from any TicketPro outlet and send an SMS with their details to 48952. Club Statements Leon Theron, Senior Vice President, Sales and Marketing, Toyota South Africa Motors, highlighted the brand’s commitment to its customers who are passionate about football. Jessica Motaung, Kaizer Chiefs Commercial and Marketing Director, emphasized the tournament’s alignment with the club’s strategic objective to enhance its brand on the continent. Hersi Ally Said, President of Young Africans SC, expressed gratitude to Toyota and Chiefs for the invitation and promised a competitive match. CAF African Club Association The Toyota Cup match will showcase the importance of collaboration between different clubs on the continent in growing club football, a primary objective of the CAF African Club Association (ACA), which Said and Motaung are both part of as President and Vice President, respectively. Tickets Tickets for the inaugural Toyota Cup are on sale now at all TicketPro outlets in South Africa for R40. Fans are advised to purchase tickets early to avoid disappointment.African Football Takes Centre Stage at Launch of Toyota Cup The official launch of the Toyota Cup, the first-ever competitive tournament for African intercontinental champions, was held in Morocco on Tuesday. The tournament, which will be held in Tunisia from January 18-30, 2023, will feature some of Africa’s top club and national teams. The tournament was launched by CAF President Patrice Motsepe, who hailed the event as a “historic moment” for African football. “This tournament will provide a platform for our best clubs and national teams to compete against each other and showcase their talent to the world,” Motsepe said. The Toyota Cup will feature eight teams, divided into two groups of four. The top two teams from each group will advance to the semi-finals, with the winners meeting in the final. The tournament will be broadcast live in over 120 countries, giving African football a global platform. The Toyota Cup is the brainchild of Japanese automaker Toyota, which has been a major sponsor of African football for many years. “We are proud to be associated with this tournament, which will bring together the best of African football,” said Toyota Chairman Akio Toyoda. “We believe that the Toyota Cup will make a significant contribution to the development of African football.” The official draw for the tournament will be held on December 23, 2022.