Patrice Motsepe: Clubs, Associations to benefit from improved CAF financials

This was shared while Motsepe addressed the media following the CAF Congress in Abidjan, Ivory Coast on Thursday, when the organization announced commercial revenue of $125.2 million (R2.25 billion) for the 2022/23 financial year, significantly marking a $21.6 million (R389 million) increase from the previous year. 

The improved financials were also made possible by CAF managing out-of-court settlements with its former TV and Sponsorship rights partner Lagardere, as Motsepe explains.

"We gave them $25 million (R451.6 million) and we'll be giving them the last $25 million at the end of the year [2023]," confirmed Motsepe.

"What we want is for the money that comes from football to go to the players, and to go to development, and for the employees, staff, and club owners to make sure they can make a living out of football, rather than to bureaucracies and places it shouldn't be.

The next financial year is expected to return even bigger revenue, with the introduction of the African Football League (formerly African Super League) expected to be CAF’s cash cow.

After CAF increased competition prize money by 26% to $78.9 million (R1.42 billion), the AFL is expected to kick off with eight participating teams on 21 October in Tanzania, but Motsepe maintains the tournament will increase to 24 teams in 2024.

"It starts with the eight but it will include the top-ranked countries' football clubs in Africa next year, and there'll be more money for the players and clubs, and it will contribute to African football being very successful and globally competitive," he added.

"Definitely next year the number [of participating clubs] will be 24."