DeMbare’s African Safari under threat

DYNAMOS’ return to the African safari is in serious danger as the continental football governing body now wants to terminate the CAF Confederation Cup tournament.

The Confederation of African Football, which recently launched the African Super League tournament, now feels there are now too many club tournaments.

However, instead of abandoning the elitist African Super League, CAF are now pushing for the termination of the CAF Confederation Cup

Dynamos earned a ticket into the 2024/25 CAF Confederation Cup after winning the Chibuku Super Cup and were due to start the campaign around August this year.

That might not happen as CAF president Patrice Motsepe hinted at possible cancellation of the tournament at the weekend.

Motsepe, who took the helm of CAF in March 2021, has made revitalising African football competitions a cornerstone of his vision. Under his leadership,

CAF has already hosted a successful eight-team

African Football

League won by his

South African club,

Mamelodi Sundowns.

“We might cancel the Confederation Cup.

We have too many competitions,” Motsepe told reporters in Abidjan on Friday.

“We cannot and will not have too many competitions …. The Champions League is excellent; we want to protect and promote it.

“That’s why I deliberately didn’t put the prize money of the AFL to make it more than the Champions League. I didn’t want to create the perception that, as at this stage, immediately, the AFL is above the Champions League.”

The Confederation Cup is less attractive to clubs compared to the Champions League. Motsepe’s comments have sparked debate among African football stakeholders.

Some argue that the Confederation Cup, despite its challenges, provides a valuable platform for the development of clubs and players from smaller nations to compete on the continental stage.

Cancelling the competition, they claim, would further marginalise these teams and limit player development opportunities. Others, however, support Motsepe’s call for a drastic shake-up.

They believe that resources currently allocated to the Confederation Cup could be better directed towards strengthening the Champions League.