I was one of those who slammed the PSL head honchos for lacking foresight when they complained bitterly about the circumstances behind the launch of the African Football League (AFL) last year. Then, I opined that the local league officials needed to get in touch with modern trends in world football.
But now it is clear as daylight that this vanity project was done haphazardly and without proper engagement and thought. It was forced down their throats and they were not even consulted about this year’s cancellation – so much so that they did not know whether to accommodate it or not in their calendar this season.
The AFL was launched amid much fanfare, featuring confetti and confectioneries in Cairo last year. The whole shebang had the entire continent talking.
But just a year after the glitz and glamour of the launch, no one seems to know what on earth is going on with the AFL.
Even the fellows at CAF are avoiding the topic like a bad rash. For CAF officials, talking about the AFL is like badmouthing Robert Mugabe during the heady days of Zanu-PF’s war veterans, when a mere word of criticism could have dire consequences.
CAF posted a glowing piece of writing when they launched last year. “Africa’s highest-ranked football clubs will compete in the exciting new ‘super’ competition, the inaugural AFL, which is designed to showcase the best of African club football and provide football fans in Africa and around the world, [and] the opportunity to see and enjoy the very best of the beautiful game on the African continent.
“This is a precursor to the fully fledged AFL competition, which will feature the 24 highest-ranked football clubs on the African continent and will commence during the 2024/2025 football season,” said CAF.
It remains to be seen whether the tournament, if it still exists, will be increased to 24 clubs, as per CAF’s undertaking. A simple question is what happened to the 2024 edition?
PSL bosses and other league federations could be smiling from ear to ear. The fixture rescheduling created a nightmare. The league’s top brass almost did not allow Mamelodi Sundowns to participate last year, until the intervention of CAF president Patrice Motsepe, who happens to be a major stakeholder at Sundowns, even though he “stepped down” when he ascended to the CAF presidency three years ago.
Motsepe has bailed out the PSL on numerous occasions when they were facing sponsorship financial distress. So, swaying the PSL was as easy as stealing candy from a baby.
In September, CAF director of competitions Samson Adamu told SABC Sport that there will be a bigger and better AFL next year, and it will not interfere with the regular football schedules. Adamu said the AFL could return with 16 or 24 teams.
‘’I think the plans fully for the AFL, it is highly unlikely this year because we only have a few months until the end of the year, but the plans will be revealed for next year, as to when it is going to happen and what are the plans for it,’’ Adamu said.
What the esteemed man seems to have forgotten is that on top of the organised chaos, there’s still the Fifa Club World Cup and the Afcon in Morocco next year.
It’s fine to have grandiose plans for 2025 but it is rather improper to hide what has happened to the 2024 edition. Motsepe’s silence is deafening.
The whole thing makes Sundowns’ R75-million win in the inaugural edition seem like the perfect heist.
Now, the much-talked-about tournament seems to have pulled off a Houdini act, disappearing into thin air right in front of the eyes of the football public. There has not been any explanation from CAF, who we are told, are already planning for the 2025 edition. How cheeky…
