The Confederation of African Football (CAF) is set to launch, the African Super League (ASL) in August 2023. This will be a unique inter-continental club competition among the best football clubs in Africa. The African Super League (ASL) is a project created, with the intention of growing the value of football in Africa and how it is viewed as a sport in the continent. This growth is hoped to be seen through sponsors, developed funds, investments and improved infrastructure. The African Super League was created with the hope that it becomes the most valuable football club competition, ever realised in Africa. The competition will consist of 24 clubs, from 16 different African countries, each country with a maximum of 3 teams selected to represent them. The following article will discuss 10 things you need to know about the African Super League.
Ten things to know about the African Super League
1. The goal of the super league
The African Super League’s goal is to help teams develop their players, infrastructure, and fans. While also advancing the growth of football throughout Africa. Its major priority themes will be to increase involvement and interest among African football fans, growth and retention of African talent, and monetary strength of clubs and member organisations.
2. When was it launched?
The president of FIFA, Gianni Infantino, first announced the idea of the African Super League on the 28th of November 2019. It was confirmed in 2021 by the CAF president, Patrice Motsepe and was launched on the 10th of August 2022. It’s now set to kick off on August 2023. From then on the competition will run for 10 months, starting from August up until May.
3. Number of teams participating
24 football clubs from different parts of Africa will participate in the African League Competition. These 24 clubs will come from the three regions of Africa — North Africa, Central and West Africa and South and East Africa. Each region would have to choose eight teams to participate in the African Super League, with 16 different African countries being represented and a maximum of three teams per country.
4. Cash Prize
The 24 teams that will be participating in the African Supper League, will each receive $2.5 million. This is to help with travel costs, logistics which have to do with the game and accommodation. And member associations will each receive $ 1 million as confirmed by the CAF president, Patrice Motsepe, while the winning team will receive $11.6 million.
5. Relegation and Promtion
The European Super League received so much backlash because teams could not be relegated or promoted. This meant that outside teams were mostly excluded. This is something that, the ASL is trying to avoid, and will do this by relegating and promoting teams this way all African football teams will have a chance of reaching the Super League.
6. Revenue from ASL
Gianni Infantino, the FIFA president believes that the African Super League competition can generate about $200 million in revenues annually or $3 billion, over the next five years.
7. Will the ASL replace the CAF Champions League and CAF Confederation Cup?
There isn’t a clear answer to this, but it is rumoured that the CAF plans to replace, the CAF Champions League and the CAF Confederation Cup with the ASL. Although this is a rumour, it is highly plausible as the competitions cannot simultaneously exist due to the fact that additional time will be required to plan and play games and the volume of games will also be too much.
8. Video Assistance Referee (VAR)
VAR will be used in order to avoid biased referring. The ASL will also form an elite full panel of African referees, who will be funded by the world body. Poor performance or biased refereeing will trigger demotion, for the referees.
9. Total Number of matches
There’ll be a total number of 197 matches played and 21 maximum matches played by the finalists. Relegation and Promotion will be determined by the playoffs.
10. Countries cannot have more than 3 participation teams
A country is limited to choose a maximum of three teams. Meaning countries will have to choose three of their best teams from their local teams, which might pose difficulty for some countries.
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