Football in Nigeria is rarely just about the final score. It is about shared energy, community, and the moments that linger long after the whistle. TECNO, the mobile technology brand known for bringing innovation to everyday life, harnessed that spirit during the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations by hosting a series of immersive fan experiences that merged live football, artificial intelligence, and youth culture.
The events, centred around Nigeria’s matches against Tanzania and Mozambique, brought together football fans, influencers, content creators, and lifestyle tastemakers for evenings that resembled curated fan festivals more than conventional watch parties. At the heart of the experience was TECNO’s AI platform, ELLA, designed to engage participants and demonstrate the playful, interactive potential of emerging technology.
The first watch party, held at VSP Lounge on Awolowo Road, Ikeja, welcomed fans hours before Nigeria’s clash with Tanzania. Music, conversation, and anticipation set a vibrant tone, reflecting TECNO’s aim to meet audiences where culture thrives. A TECNO-branded booth quickly became a focal point, offering fans multiple ways to interact with ELLA—from predicting match outcomes to answering AI-powered trivia and generating personalised digital visuals. One of the most popular features allowed attendees to create images placing themselves alongside Super Eagles star Victor Osimhen, blending fandom with fantasy.
Participation was rewarded with TECNO merchandise, footballs, and other giveaways, ensuring a lively atmosphere around the booth throughout the evening. The success of the first event carried into the second watch party at Cubana Night Club in Ikeja GRA for Nigeria’s quarter-final against Mozambique. The venue was transformed into a premium fan hub with large screens, curated lighting, and a high-energy social environment, demonstrating how technology can elevate football viewing into a lifestyle experience.
Once again, ELLA took centre stage. Guests engaged in real-time predictions, explored AI-generated content, and created personalised visuals and digital keepsakes, reinforcing TECNO’s message that artificial intelligence can be both powerful and playful. Between the football action, attendees enjoyed cocktails, mocktails, and food platters, while live commentary and interactive trivia sessions sustained engagement and excitement.
What distinguished these events, organisers said, was the seamless integration of AI into the fan experience. “The technology became a conversation starter rather than a background feature,” one TECNO representative explained. By making fans active participants—predicting outcomes, generating content, and sharing their experiences—TECNO demonstrated a new model for sports engagement, where technology amplifies emotion rather than replaces it.
The watch parties underscore TECNO’s positioning as a forward-thinking brand that understands youth culture, entertainment, and community. By blending football with AI and lifestyle elements, TECNO has shown how technology can deepen participation and create lasting memories beyond matchday.
With more AFCON matches ahead, TECNO has indicated plans to expand these immersive experiences, using ELLA to connect fans more closely to the game. For those who attended, the takeaway was clear: football is better when shared, and even better when enhanced by technology that brings fans closer to the action.
