The African Football League (AFL) kicks off in Tanzania on Friday (tomorrow), bearing little resemblance to the original concept.
It was launched amid much hype last year and called the CAF Africa Super League with record prize money for an African club competition, including $11.5 million (10.9 million euros) to the winners.
A total of 24 clubs — eight each from the north, west/centre and south/east regions chosen on merit — would compete and get $2.5 mn each in advance to buy players and cover travel costs.
There were supposed to be 197 mini-league and knock-out matches, culminating in a final African Football Confederation (CAF) president Patrice Motsepe said would be the “Super Bowl of Africa”.
But South African billionaire Motsepe has since admitted to the local media that the AFL has struggled to lure sponsors, resulting in a major downgrading of the first edition.
Motsepe said the name change came after unnamed “European friends” told CAF they should scrap “Super League” from the title.
“This advice was based on negative associations with the failed attempt in 2021 to launch a super league in Europe,” he said.
A planned European Super League collapsed within 48 hours after a backlash from players, supporters and governments forced nine of the 12 clubs who signed up to pull out.
First prize has been slashed to four million dollars, only eight clubs will participate and, instead of a “Super Bowl” climax, there will be a two-leg title decider.
The AFL named Saudi Arabian tourism body Visit Saudi as its major sponsor just seven days before Simba of Tanzania host African giants Al Ahly of Egypt in the opening quarter-final first leg.
TP Mazembe from the Democratic Republic of Congo host Esperance of Tunisia and Petro Luanda of Angola have home advantage over Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa on Saturday.
The last first leg is scheduled for Sunday in the Nigerian city of Uyo, where Enyimba will confront Moroccan visitors Wydad Casablanca
