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Johannesburg - The 2013 Africa Cup of Nations local organising committee (LOC) will arrange a commercial rights issue with the Confederation of African Football (CAF) next week.
Caf had promised to allow the LOC to find South African sponsorship for next year's continental showpiece.
"We will have a workshop in Sandton with Caf, their sponsors and (Caf sport marketing partners) SportFive between June 25 and 28," LOC chief executive, Mvuzo Mbebe said on Friday.
"This is where we will finalise all matters related to commercial rights for next year's Afcon."
The expected costs for next year's tournament are in the region of R400 million, which will wholly be derived from the South African government. The LOC has sought ways of minimising the budget outside of the R40 million in revenue receipts guaranteed from Caf.
According to Mbebe, they are hoping a minimum of R40 million would come from private South African sponsorship. Already, some big companies had enquired about being a part of the tournament.
"We have engaged with a number of South African companies; in fact, some approached us directly," said Mbebe.
"We are at a stage where we have agreed in principle (with some of them).
"But we are confident that by mid-July we would have finalised everything with the sponsors."
One is a telecommunications company, but one of Caf's sponsors is a French-based mobile company. Mbebe confirmed this, and said this issue would be discussed next week.
"Even though I will not be able to reveal the company, we are hoping to find a solution on that."
The LOC said the 2013 Afcon qualifier draw would take place at Emperor's Palace in Johannesburg on July 5.
The 30 teams in the draw will be the 16 teams that participated in the Equatorial Guinea and Gabon tournament earlier this year, along with another 14 teams. These teams will play in a knockout out at home and away fixtures.
They will go to next year's tournament draw set for October 26 in Durban, alongside hosts Bafana Bafana.
Mbebe said that the CAF delegation will be in South Africa from July 3 to 9 for a final inspection of the five hosting venues.
The role of LOC chairman is expected to be finalised next month. Interim chair at the moment is SA Football Association vice-president, Mwelo Nonkonyana.
