Ghana would have to wait for more years to be sure of having a representative in the improvised African Football League (AFL) initiated by the Confederation of African Football (CAF).
As planned, the CAF announced on Tuesday night the eight top-ranked teams that are qualified to compete in the inaugural edition of the highly anticipated competition, which aims to increase interest in African football by showcasing the best teams on the continent in fiercely competitive matches.
“Africa’s highest ranked football clubs will compete in the exciting new ‘Super’ competition, the Inaugural African Football League (AFL) which is designed to showcase the best of African club football and provide football fans in Africa and around the world, the opportunity to see and enjoy the very best of the beautiful game on the African Continent,” CAF wrote on their website.
The Northern Region of Africa will be represented by Al Ahly from Egypt, Espérance Sportive de Tunis from Tunisia, and Wydad Athletic Club from Morocco, while the Central-West Region will be represented by Enyimba FC from Nigeria and TP Mazembe from the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
The South-East Region will also be represented by Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa, Angola’s Atlético Petróleos de Luanda, and Simba SC from Tanzania.
Despite winning the Ghana Premier League and representing Ghana in the CAF Championships in the years 2020–2021 and 2022–2022, respectively, Ghana’s two most successful clubs, Hearts of Oak and Asante Kotoko, were excluded from the rankings as a result of their recent underwhelming performances.
With the draw for the competition set for Saturday, September 2, the AFL will begin on October 20, 2023.
The championship would be a knockout competition played over two legs, with the winners of the first stage advancing to the semifinals, which take place between October 29 and November 1, and to the finals, which would similarly be contested on a home and away basis on November 5 and 11.
According to CAF, the AFL will prepare the way for a significantly expanded competition that will debut during the 2024–2025 football season and include the 24 top-ranked football teams on the African Continent.