CAF Super League: Tanzania clubs that may secure a slot
FIFA president Gianni Infantino (right) and Confederation of Africa Football (CAF) Patrice Motsepe (left) attend the CAF 44th General Assembly at the Arusha International Conference Centre in Arusha City, Tanzania on August 10, 2022. PHOTO | AFP
What you need to know:
- Simba SC, Yanga SC and Azam FC are the likely clubs to represent Tanzania given their impressive appearances in CAF competitions as well as in those organised by Cecafa and Cosafa
Dar es Salaam. Mainland Tanzania big guns Azam FC, Simba SC and Dar Young Africans (Yanga) are likely to feature in the inaugural Super League scheduled to start in August, 2023 next year organised by the Confederation of African Football (CAF).
The competition was launched during the day-long CAF Ordinary General Assembly held in Arusha City on Wednesday.
Speaking to The Citizen yesterday, Tanzania Football Federation (TFF) president Wallace Karia said the Super League will feature 24 teams and run through May the following year.
Karia said that the Council of East and Central Africa Football Association (Cecafa) and Council of Southern Africa Football Associations (Cosafa) have been given 12 slots that gives Tanzania a chance to field more than one team in the competition.
He explained that Simba, Yanga and Azam FC in that order have the best records in the Cecafa region.
CAF president Patrice Motsepe said each qualifier would receive $3.5 million up front to cover travel and accommodation costs and to strengthen squads.
Travel costs severely deplete the funds of Champions League competitors with only the 16 clubs who reach the group stage receiving prize money, starting at $550,000.
Winners of the Super League will be $11.5 million richer.
The TFF president also said CAF Ordinary Assembly has given the country the honour of hosting the event and promoting it.
“It was a historic assembly. It is a milestone for Tanzania football in the world due to the fact that world football governing body (FIFA) president Gianni Infantino was also in attendance,” he said.
This was the second time for the FIFA president to visit Tanzania.
He said that TFF will continue to promote the country’s football as well as its development. It is compliments for Tanzania in the game.
The lucrative $100-million Super League is aimed at injecting financial muscle to the cash-strapped clubs on the continent.
Twenty-four clubs, yet to be decided, will take part in the first edition, which has the backing of FIFA.
CAF president Patrice Motsepe, who announced the new competition, did not say if it would replace CAF’s existing Champions League and the second-tier Confederation Cup. “The African Super League is a very important initiative. One of the major problems in Africa is finance,” said Motsepe at the launch held in the northern Tanzania town of Arusha.
“The Africa Super League is one of the most exciting developments in the history of African football and the objective in terms of what we are trying to achieve is very clear, to make sure African club football is world class,” he noted.
