Scaled-down African Super League to start in October with promise of growth to come
July 14 - The first and highly controversial African Super League, which has changed its name to the African Football League (AFL), will kick off on October 20, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) has confirmed at its general meeting in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, Thursday.
CAF President Patrice Motsepe, who trumpeted the new competition from day one despite its drastic reduction from the initial 24 squads to just eight, insisted, as did FIFA President Gianni Infantino, that be expanded in the years to come.
Oddly with just three months to go, CAF has not named the eight teams involved. But numerous reports have identified them as South Africa's Mamelodi Sundowns, owned by the CAF President's family; Petro Atletico (Angola), TP Mazembe (Democratic Republic of Congo), Al Ahly (Egypt), Horoya (Guinea), Wydad Casablanca (Morocco), Simba SC (Tanzania) and Esperance (Tunisia)
The competition, which runs alongside the CAF Champions League and CAF Confederation Cup in the 2023-24 season, continues despite CAF announcing a loss of $15.7 million for fiscal year 2022-23 and the fact that, thus far, there have been no details of a sponsorship or broadcast deal.
“We have to make it irresistible for our people to watch football. It has to be irresistibly appealing to the fans and it starts in our countries,” Motsepe told delegates.
"We have recognized for many years that African football players are among the best in the world, but we need to improve the attractiveness of African football, its commercial viability and its ability to sustain itself."
Infantino, who has personally backed the project - cynics might argue in part to cement political support - added: "It will have eight big teams, which will be followed in the future by a bigger version. We need to invest in African club football as well as national team football.”
"It is our responsibility, our duty and our task, and with the work and contribution of each of us as a team, we will succeed."
Contact the author of this story at moc.l1689396040labto1689396040ofdlr1689396040owedi1689396040sni@w1689396040ahsra1689396040w.wer1689396040dna1689396040
July 14 - The first and highly controversial African Super League, which has changed its name to the African Football League (AFL), will kick off on October 20, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) has confirmed at its general meeting in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, Thursday.
CAF President Patrice Motsepe, who trumpeted the new competition from day one despite its drastic reduction from the initial 24 squads to just eight, insisted, as did FIFA President Gianni Infantino, that be expanded in the years to come.
Oddly with just three months to go, CAF has not named the eight teams involved. But numerous reports have identified them as South Africa's Mamelodi Sundowns, owned by the CAF President's family; Petro Atletico (Angola), TP Mazembe (Democratic Republic of Congo), Al Ahly (Egypt), Horoya (Guinea), Wydad Casablanca (Morocco), Simba SC (Tanzania) and Esperance (Tunisia)
The competition, which runs alongside the CAF Champions League and CAF Confederation Cup in the 2023-24 season, continues despite CAF announcing a loss of $15.7 million for fiscal year 2022-23 and the fact that, thus far, there have been no details of a sponsorship or broadcast deal.
“We have to make it irresistible for our people to watch football. It has to be irresistibly appealing to the fans and it starts in our countries,” Motsepe told delegates.
"We have recognized for many years that African football players are among the best in the world, but we need to improve the attractiveness of African football, its commercial viability and its ability to sustain itself."
Infantino, who has personally backed the project - cynics might argue in part to cement political support - added: "It will have eight big teams, which will be followed in the future by a bigger version. We need to invest in African club football as well as national team football.”
"It is our responsibility, our duty and our task, and with the work and contribution of each of us as a team, we will succeed."
Contact the author of this story at moc.l1689396040labto1689396040ofdlr1689396040owedi1689396040sni@w1689396040ahsra1689396040w.wer1689396040dna1689396040
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