The continental game has enjoyed a massive financial injection to attract interest from the Standard Bank Group, operators of Stanbic Bank.

Stanbic Bank has announced a $2.5 million sponsorship deal with the Confederation of African Football for the CAF Champions League and the 2008 African Cup of Nations.

After five years of support for South African clubs Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs, Stanbic Bank, will be supporting the MTN champions League for the next three years, in addition to the CAN 2008 to be staged in Ghana.

At a press conference in Accra, Jimmy Mabon, Managing Director at Stanbic Bank, Ghana, said the sponsorship package is the bank’s contribution to society’s efforts to unifying people of diverse backgrounds through football.

The Confederation of African Football’s communications director, Suleiman Habouba, says the new deal with Stanbic Bank would greatly enhance the finances of the Champions League.