FIFA president Infantino reveals new African league

FIFA president Gianni Infantino revealed the plans of new eight-team African Football League, starting Octobed 20.

The competition has been drastically scaled down from the original proposal of 24 teams as CAF announced a $15.7 million loss for the 2022-23 financial year.

“It will have eight great teams, which will be followed in the future with a bigger version,” Infantino told delegates. “We have to invest in African club football as well as national team football. It is our responsibility, duty and task, and with the work and contribution of all of us as a team, we will succeed.”

According to reports the eight members of the league will be South African champions Mamelodi Sundowns, who are owned by the family of CAF president Patrice Motsepe, Petro Atletico from Angola, Democratic Republic of Congo’s TP Mazembe, Al Ahly from Egypt, Horoya from Guinea, Wydad Casablanca from Morocco, Tanzania’s Simba and Esperance of Tunisia.

🚨 Today, at the Confederation AFRICAN Football Congress, details of the impending AFRICAN Football League (formerly AFRICAN Super League) was announced by Fifa boss Gianni Infantino, while the Confederation of AFRICAN Football President was seated.

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Very nice.

[Thread 🧵] pic.twitter.com/57BSJqGklY

— Gary Al-Smith (@garyalsmith) July 13, 2023

The competition will run concurrently with CAF’s Champions League for domestic league winners across the continent and is not a replacement.