Newly appointed Ferwafa head of marketing and communications Jerome Dufourg believes that hosting the 2016 African Nations Championship (Chan) is going to be a catalyst for attracting sponsorship for all football activities in Rwanda.

Dufourg, who has been tasked with guiding the football federation to independent funding rather than rely on Government, Fifa and Caf funding, expects companies to fight to come on board because of the potential visibility they will get from the event that will be held from January 16-February 7.

In an exclusive interview with Times Sport, he said, "Chan is the second biggest football competition in Africa and I think in Europe, they will have only Euro so corporate companies will need visibility.

Chan is the core. You have Chan and you will sell the TV rights for the league, the friendly games and the youth leagues.”

"Rwanda has successfully hosted two previous tournaments, the African Youth Championships and the Africa U-17 championships but this is bigger. Brands need visibility and will get visibility from the TV broadcaster,” explained the optimistic Dufourg.

The 28-year-old Frenchman, who started work on Monday, revealed that he has already laid out a strategic plan for the next three years.

Dufourg said, "My first priority right now is to get sponsorship for the upcoming Peace Cup since we cannot do anything for the ongoing league season that will end in May. As I work on this, I will also embark on getting sponsorship for the 2015/16 league season as well as lay out a plan for our national teams.”

"There are many companies that have sponsored the league before and now they want to come back because they know they made a mistake. I want to use the competition between companies in the same sector not like in the past when someone gives you a token.

"If you want to promote your brand for the competition, there is the market and demand so if you have the same companies from the same sector, only one will win depending on their commitment,” noted Dufourg. 

Bralirwa sponsored the 2013/2014 topflight league to a tune of Rwf171m through their brand Turbo King but did not renew their contract this season because Rayon Sports, one of the biggest clubs in Rwanda is sponsored by a rival company, Skol.

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