CAF President Patrice Motsepe launched the Africa Super League during the confederation’s General Assembly in Arusha, Tanzania, on Wednesday.
The new league will offer prize money of $100 million — over five times more than Africa’s current Champions League — and that each club in the inaugural season of the cross-continent competition would receive $2.5 million at the start to help fund its preparations and participation.
“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, number one is to make sure African club football is world class and competes with the best in the world. This about the future of African football, this is about African taking charge of its future. To do this, we need money,” Motsepe said.
Twenty-four clubs, yet to be decided, will take part in the first edition, which has the backing of world governing body FIFA and will be played between August 2023 and May 2024.
“Football is about finance. It is about having a product and the commercial backing for it. We believe we can change the face of African football,” Motsepe said, repeating there was huge interest from sponsors and commercial partners to be connected with the new African league.
Motsepe said CAF will use some of the 50 million dollars from the Super League to make football attractive and ensure the best players remain in Africa and improve the quality of the sport on the continent which has lagged behind other parts of the world.
Motsepe appealed to African governments to help with the construction of CAF-approved stadiums to ensure every club play their football in their own countries.
