African Super League: 5 CAF Officials Arrive Abuja For Stadium Inspection

African Super League: 5 CAF Officials Arrive Abuja For Stadium Inspection

By Niyi Busari

Not fewer than five Confederation of African Football (CAF) will arrive Abuja to inspect four stadiums to choose a home ground for Nigeria representative, Enyimba International Football Club ahead of the CAF African Super League, BSN sports.com.ng reports.

While four officials will arrive on Monday, the last official will touch down in Abuja on Tuesday.

A reliable source from the Ministry of Sports who pleaded anonymity exclusively informed BSN Sports that everything are in place to receive the CAF officials in Abuja.

"We will receive five CAF officials who will inspect four stadiums ahead of the CAF African Super League. We are working with the Nigeria Football Federation in making sure that there is no hitches while carrying out their duty." Four will arrive tomorrow (Monday) while the last one come into the country's capital on Tuesday. The source exclusively told BSN Sports.

 "Four stadia have been tipped for inspection. The stadium are; Moshood Abiola Stadium, Abuja, Godswill Akpabio Stadium, Amasiemaka Stadium and Enyimba International stadium. CAF has already ruled out Amasiemaka for disallowing Rivers United using the pitch for their CAF Confederation Cup campaign while Enyimba International has also been ruled out." He added.

"Two times CAF Champions League champions, Enyimba International are one of the 24 teams picked based rankings to participate in the maiden edition.

The Africa Super League will be an annual continental club football competition run by the CAF that is set to kickoff in August 2023. It was announced on 28 November 2019 by Gianni Infantino, President of FIFA. It was launched on 10 August 2022 in Tanzania, and will include twenty-four elite African clubs with a promotion/relegation system.

The essence of holding this tournament is the huge financial returns, projected to exceed $100 million, to be used to develop and improve stadiums, infrastructure and the promotion of African football.

The competition will have 24 teams divided into three regionalized groups (North, Central/West, South/East), for eight teams per group, and there will be a maximum of three teams per country. The teams will be from 16 countries, representing approximately 1 billion people. The competition will have 197 matches (with a maximum of 21 matches played by the finalists) and promotion/relegation play-offs.

The final will be played in a single match, with the final designed to become "the Super Bowl of Africa".

The total prizemoney for the Africa Super League will be US$100 million, with the winner receiving US$11.5 million, and each participating club receiving an initial cash injection of US$2.5 million. Some of the funding from the Africa Super League will be used to allocate US$1 million per annum to each of CAF’s 54 member countries, for a total investment of US$54 million per annum to develop football in Africa.

CAF will also receive US$50 million per annum to develop football for boys and girls, employ world-class staff, as well as to improve and to make all its other competitions attractive and appealing to football spectators, TV viewers, sponsors and other partners.

The Africa Super League will also support the growth of club football, the construction and maintenance of football infrastructure and facilities, and the training and the retention of football talent in Africa.