What are the facts?

The Confederation of African Football finances have not been in great shape since octogenarian Issa Hayatou was spectacularly deposed by Ahmad Ahmad in Addis Ababa during 2017.

Two years after assuming power, Ahmad, allegedly encouraged by FIFA, cancelled an exclusive 12-year billion dollar contract signed with media and marketing French company Lagardere, citing irregularities discovered by the Egyptian authorities before the contract was signed.

Lagardere challenged the decision at the Court of Arbitration for Sport, seeking a $90 million (±R1.5 billion) compensation after both entities had failed to reach an amicable out-ofcourt settlement.

But while their dispute is dragging on, CAF is unable to enter into agreements with corporate partners and cannot market the Africa Cup of Nations, African Nations Championship (CHAN), Champions League and Confederation Cup.

It is for this reason that they are creating new properties like the Champions League for Women and the envisaged Super League, which they hope will attract new sponsors and return them to a sound financial footing.

“For the last seven years,” said CAF media spokesperson Luxolo September, “African football has been on a straight line, while Europe and South America are going on this upward trajectory.

“The other confederations have reached this pinnacle of success by introducing new competitions to inject revenue from a content point of view. However, the same cannot be said about Africa. The sad reality is that for the continent to grow, Africa needs new ideas and bolder initiatives.

“We cannot grow our revenue on sentiments alone because the current situation is bogged down in contracts.

“In order to take the African football market to the next level, you have got to introduce new competitions to inject and breathe new life into the game. That is a reality and purely economic and commercial concepts. The truth is that where we are right now is a very bad space financially.”

However, it has not gone unnoticed that traveling would be the greatest challenge in the proposed structure, which must run concurrently with both domestic and the current CAF Champions and CAF Confederation Cup tournaments.

“One of the biggest challenges facing top African clubs in the current CAF Champions League is that they spend a lot of money on transport and accommodation,” admitted CAF President Patrice Motsepe.

“And when they eventually win the tournament, what they receive does not justify the huge expenses they had incurred. So, the first 24 clubs that would be part of the Super League will be given $2.5 million (±R41.9 million) to utilise ahead of the start of the Super League.”

Esperance President Hamdi Meddeb pinpointed the challenge around traveling, claiming that to charter a flight could set back a club in the region of $100 000 (±R1.7 million) for a single trip and when one considers that the winning club only takes home $2.5 m (±R42 million), it does not make economic sense.

Meanwhile, Chiefs have cautioned against rushing into the project, calling for more dialogue.

“This is no doubt a great idea to have another tournament where teams can play and also make money. But let us engage and wait for more details about the tournament,” said Kaizer Chiefs Communications and Marketing Director Jessica Motaung.

But while the proposed league promises financial emancipation for often cash-strapped African clubs, there is skepticism in some quarters about the viability of the ASL in view of the European version which spectacularly collapsed before it could even take off.

“The difference between the European and African Super League, however, is that the European version constituted a clear “breakaway” from the established order,” explained FIFA President Gianni Infantino.

“The European clubs were going to establish a rebel structure and wanted to be independent of any organization, be it UEFA or FIFA, and would have been answerable to no one but themselves and that was unacceptable.

“However, the ASL has been established within the ambit of CAF and it is also recognised by FIFA. They will play and adhere to the rules and regulations as established by these bodies and hence we believe it will be successful.”