Uncertainty about the African Football League in the 2024/2025 season

By Velile Mnyandu
9th July 2024

There’s still much uncertainty around the second season of the lucrative African Football League (AFL) tournament, just less than a month before the new Premier Soccer League (PSL) season gets underway.

SABC Sport has established that preparations around the second season of the AFL are still sketchy, and some leagues around the continent are still uncomfortable with the disruption it brings to their domestic program.

The inaugural AFL season with a first prize money of $2,5 million was contested by eight teams and won by Mamelodi Sundowns.

President of the African Club Association (ACA) Hersi Said Ally says they are still in the dark about the 2025 edition.

"As far as I know nothing came out in terms of whether we'll have AFL next season or we won't and how many clubs are going to participate in the AFL. Remember last year there were only eight clubs in the continent but there were rumours that they will bring it to 24,” Said said.

“It's not confirmed information but on top of that are we going to have Champions League on top of that? Are we going to have CAF Confederation? So, if we do have then it's gonna be three tournaments in one season. Are those tournaments accommodating the country fixtures? So, these are all question marks."

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The AFL, which is run by an independent company with roots in Italy but still sanctioned by CAF and having been a FIFA brainchild, will add to the fixture congestion in African football today.

CAF had previously promised that this year’s tournament could be increased to 16 or 24 teams, but currently, it’s also understood that they are consulting with all the stakeholders to find a workable situation around this tournament.

Said reveals that the CAF inter-club committee is meeting today, and there could be more clarity around this.

"Me and you are sitting in a position of not saying that we have much information relating to this tournament and as far as I know there is going to be an interclub meeting in CAF tomorrow in Cairo that will also sort out most of the information. Definitely, we'll have more of the information after that meeting. So, let's sit back and understand, get to get all the information from CAF. Then I'm sure it will be out whether tomorrow or the day after tomorrow."