Morocco, Spain & Portugal World Cup bid is Africa’s bid - CAF

Speaking to SABC Sport in Durban on the sidelines of the inaugural CAF Schools Championships, CAF General Secretary, Veron Mosengo-Omba highlighted the official position of the 54-member organisation to rally behind Morocco. 

"That's the initiative of the CAF president [Patrice Motsepe], to take the initiative for all executive committee members [and] all the 54 member associations to support the candidacy of Morocco, of course," said Mosengo-Omba.

"Because he's not the kind... President Motsepe, during the meeting, said that it is not only the candidacy of Morocco, it's also the African candidacy. So, of course, the 54 [members], it's our duty to support Morocco."

The African Super League, which is earmarked to kick off in November, has been reduced from 24 to just eight teams in its first year – the reason for which the CAF GS has now explained. 

"You have heard that the reduction will start, maybe, in October or November, where the eight best clubs in Africa will compete amongst each other. So, we will launch the first edition in mid-November," he added.

"The 24-team [tournament] remains the same, but for this [first] edition, we'll start with eight. Next year, we'll go with the full 24."

CAF has used stringent criteria to choose the first eight clubs to take part in the inaugural Super League, which will be included Mamelodi Sundowns from South Africa.

According to Mosengo-Omba, the standard of facilities was among the main priorities.

"The first criterion is an objective one, it's according to the rankings, and then according to the facilities you have. If you have no facilities, you cannot come [and participate]," he added.

"There was a lot of criteria [raised], it would take us maybe one day here [to discuss it], but there was objective criteria to choose the [first] eight clubs."