2023-10-20 19:43:00
Morocco’s exceptional performance at the last World Cup has led to a fresh look at African football. This is good because it is changing. This is illustrated by the new competition that the Confederation of African Football (CAF) has decided to launch in Dar es Salaam, the Tanzanian capital, during the period from October 20 to November 11, the experimental phase of a new competition, the African Football League.
This will bring together eight hand-picked teams, in other words considered remarkable by their level and quality. Scheduled after the first rounds of the Champions League which will continue in their usual format and before the group stages, which will take place in November, given that the elimination of the play-off phase of the Confederations Cup in which the teams transferred from the Champions League following their elimination in the second round.
Instructions for the African Football League
This competition, the African Football League, will take place in a knockout mode, going from the quarters to the final in a round-trip phase. Having been unable to raise the expected funds for the tournament as it was initially designed, a total of 14 million dollars will be shared between the participants: 4 million for the winner, 3 million for the finalist, 1.7 million for the semi-finalists and finally one million for the quarter-finalists.
These amounts remain significant, to say the least, for the participating teams. For comparison, the Champions League prize money is distributed as follows: 4 million dollars for the winner, 2 million for the finalist, 1.2 million for the semi-finalists, 900,000 for the quarter-finalists, 700,000 for teams eliminated in the group stage.
Taking into account the significant costs linked to transport, accommodation and other costs, the difference is considerable given the greater number of matches to be played in the Champions League. However, a question remained about the source and means of financing.
A financing method to perfect
“My duty is to develop football in each of the 54 nations of Africa. The first African football league didn’t go the way I wanted, and it’s simply because of money. Many sponsors have said they are excited about the African Super League. However, I had to change the name to the “African Football League” because some of our sponsors in Europe did not want us to call it and told us to call it “Super League”. President Motsepe said. And added: “I am more focused on success and its contribution to the development of African football. CAF was able to launch the first African Football League during this 2023-2024 season even if I had to settle for less money than we wanted. »
To support the new CAF product, Saudi Arabia had expressed its interest and this materialized through a five-year partnership established in May between CAF and Visit Saudi, the public agency in charge of promotion of tourism which thus became the main official sponsor.
Determined to organize the 2034 World Cup, Saudi Arabia wants to be able to count on the support of CAF member associations to support its candidacy. Notable fact: in recent days, Visit Rwanda, through the Rwandan government, has joined the main donors. It will be the jersey sponsor of the participating teams, except for the DR Congo team, Tout-Puissant Mazembe.
On the menu, prestigious posters
Following the draw, the competition opens in Tanzania, at the Mpaka Stadium in Dar es Salaam which will host, over the weekend, the opening ceremony and thus be the capital of African football with the confrontation in the inaugural match between the local champion, Simba SC, and the prestigious Egyptian team Al Ahly*.
It is therefore a special weekend ahead for the Tanzanian public, who will also have the opportunity to follow the first leg between TP Mazembe and Esperance de Tunis, a match relocated to Dar es Salaam. The two other posters pit, on the one hand, Petro Luanda (Angola) against Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa), and on the other hand the Nigerian club Enyimba against Wydad Athletic Club of Casablanca (Morocco).
What should be remembered is that the tournament could be set up in accordance with its initial concept from next season. According to CAF, “in anticipation of remarkable growth, the second edition of the AFL is expected to host a total of 24 teams, signifying an expansion in terms of scale and greater inclusion of clubs from across the continent” . “The next edition will also feature an extended format, which will run throughout the season, providing fans and enthusiasts with a more prolonged and engaging football experience,” she adds.
This leads to this inaugural edition of the African Football League having the appearance of the Superbowl of African football. It could inaugurate both a new cycle and a new era for club football on the continent and beyond the influence of African football internationally.
* In the first leg of this first quarter-final, Simba SC and Al Ahly drew 2 everywhere.
The African Football League calendar
All matches are home and away
– The opening ceremony and the first match: October 20, 2023 in Dar es Salaam (Tanzania)
– The quarter-finals first leg: October 20 to 22
– The quarter-finals return: October 24 and 25;
– The semi-finals first leg: October 29;
– The return semi-finals: November 1;
– The first leg final: November 5;
– The final return: November 11.
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