Musonye (r) holds the Cecafa trophy with sponsor's representative Seni Adetu

The Council of East and Central Africa Football Associations (Cecafa) has secured a $450,000 sponsorship package for their annual championship.

East African Breweries Limited have been unveiled as the new sponsors of the Cecafa Challenge Cup.

The regional competition, which kicks off in Tanzania on 27 November, marks a significant investment by the beer giants.

The deal bucks a trend in Africa where many countries have seen corporate sponsorship hit by the economic downturn.

Cecafa general secretary, Nicholas Musonye, said this is a milestone for his region as it looks to have a team at the 2014 Fifa World Cup in Brazil.

"The shame of missing out on the World Cup in South Africa will never be repeated," Musonye vowed.

He added: "Cecafa is the most active zone in Africa and it's only fair that we grab at least one of the five World Cup slots reserved for the continent.

"The money we are getting will be directed to the teams so that they can produce their best."

This year's tournament will bring together 12 countries, including three guest sides, Ivory Coast, Malawi and Zambia.

The winners will walk away with $30,000 while the runners up stand to collect $20,000.

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