The African Super League's big launch falls flat with no teams, no money and no clear direction

By Samindra Kunti

August 10 – The African Super League is launched – well almost. CAF President Patrice Motsepe offered few details during a "soft launch" of the new competition, but repeatedly failed to address the elephant in the room: with CAF at on the verge of bankruptcy, how will the Super League be financed before its supposed kick-off in August 2023.

In Tanzania, Motsepe, a South African billionaire whose rise in the world of football administration has been meteoric since being elected CAF president in 2021, watered down what should have been the official launch of the controversial competition in a "soft launch". '.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino, who was looking for a Super League somewhere in the world to fuel his delayed plans for an expanded Club World Cup, called the launch a "historic moment".

Motsepe offered quirks: "Today is football, CAF is football. The focus is on growth and development."

He presented financial figures that had already been disclosed: each of the 24 participating clubs (from 16 countries) will receive a minimum of $2.5 million and the winner of the new competition will receive at least $10 million. Each of CAF's 54 member associations will receive $1 million. On top of that, there will be a $50 million development fund.

But Motsepe was unconvinced about where the money for the Super League came from and his financial promises.

He spoke of "enormous interest and enthusiasm for this project from private investors", but remained extraordinarily light on details in another rambling speech that did not address the fundamental question of who fund CAF's fancy new competition?

“The African Super League is the most important, effective and fundamental intervention and contribution to significantly improving the quality of African football,” said Motsepe.

But there were no details on funding, where there would be commercial support from broadcasters and sponsors and, crucially, how it would affect the Champions League. At this stage, the commercial viability of the Super League remains uncertain, all the more so in the context of CAF's deeply troubled finances.

In recent years, CAF's finances have dropped dramatically. For the 2020-2021 financial year, the accounts of CAF show a loss of 45 million dollars. The organization also depleted its cash reserves, which stood at $68 million at the end of fiscal year 2020/2021, compared to $108 million at the end of fiscal year 2019/2020. In contrast, employee salaries and benefits increased 38% to $6.6 million.

CAF's financial crisis was accelerated by the termination of the contract with French agency group Lagardère in 2019. Lagardère is now seeking compensation of up to $100 million from CAF, a claim that could further undermine the finances of CAF. The dispute has also left the confederation somewhat of an outcast when trying to engage with new sponsors.

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