Fans of Africa’s favourite game are revelling in fun and excitement this month as Castrol brings the Premier League Trophy to Southern Africa, along with a programme packed with celebrities, festivities, and giveaways.
Castrol has a long-standing history of supporting soccer, both globally and in Africa. In South Africa, Castrol’s commitment to the game is evident through its sponsorship of various events during the FIFA 2010 World Soccer Cup and the eight Skillz Holiday Programmes, which utilised soccer as a platform to educate and entertain young learners.
“Castrol and the Premier League signed a partnership that began in January 2022, building on our successful sponsorships of the FIFA World Cup and UEFA European Championships,” says Jennifer Heyes, Marketing Director Africa at Castrol.
“We sponsor several awards in the Premier League, such as the Castrol Golden Boot for the player with the most goals of the season, Castrol Playmaker of the Season for the player with the most assists, and the Castrol Golden Glove, awarded to the goalkeeper with the cleanest sheets for the season.”
Last year’s winners of the Golden Boot were Son Heung-Min & Mo Salah, while the Golden Glove went to Alisson and Ederson. Mo Salah was the Playmaker of the Season.
This made for a perfect alignment to bring the trophy to South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe leading up to the final match on 19 May 2024, in which Manchester City is defending the title.
“We are delighted to raise the profile of our brand and the Premier League even further with a fun, action-packed programme in South Africa around the trophy and our living soccer legends,” Heyes says.
The Trophy Tour is the culmination of a competition held in February, March, and April in which customers of Castrol and bpSA have had the chance to win up to R1 million in prizes.
Events are being held to showcase the trophy and meet one of Africa’s iconic players, Jay Jay Okocha, at five bp forecourts (bp Kyalami, bp Maponya, bp Bryanston, bp Grayston Drive, and bp William Nicol) as well as malls in Gauteng (Maponya Mall, Mall of Africa).
At the forecourt festivities the Trophy is on display alongside live radio broadcasts, photo opportunities and merchandise giveaways.
After South Africa, the Premier League Trophy Tour will move to Zimbabwe and Zambia.
Melanie van Straaten, Sales Director at Castrol Southern Africa, said: “We have put a lot of thought and planning into devising a programme of events that will reach out to and reverberate with our customers and soccer fans. We have drawn on the allure of soccer legends, radio personalities, and social media influencers to bring the game alive for a wider audience.”
