Kenya is among 54 CAF member associations who will each pocket $1 million a year towards football development following an agreement with Saudi Arabia.
Football Kenya Federation (FKF) will reap big from the soon-to-start African Super League after it was revealed that CAF is in talks with Saudi Arabia to sponsor the tournament for $200m (Ksh27.5b) with each of the 54 CAF member associations pocketing $1m (Ksh137m) a year towards football development.
According to the UK’s Guardian, the agreement with Saudi Arabia could help secure the continent’s support for any future World Cup bid, with the Gulf state reportedly interested in either the 2030 or 2034 tournaments.
14:58 - 22.05.2023
FOOTBALL AFC Leopards in the process of acquiring a women's team to beat CAF rules
Ingwe are exploring how to bring on board the FKF Women’s Division One League side amid the tough regulations from Africa’s football governing body
CAF had been due to launch the 24-team tournament that has been heavily supported by FIFA president Gianni Infantino in August as part of plans to raise the global profile of African clubs and generate more revenue.
The Super League is set to have a prize fund of $100m (Ksh13.7b) that includes $11.6m (Ksh1.5b) for the winner, nearly $8 million (Ksh1.1b) more than the $4 million (Ksh550m) currently on offer for the winners of the CAF Champions League, and a solidarity fund bringing each of the 54 CAF member associations $1m a year.
According to the publication, the start of the Super League will be delayed until the 2024-25 season, when the sponsorship deal with Saudi Arabia is expected to kick in, and an eight-team tournament will run from October 17 to November 30 next season.
13:51 - 22.05.2023
AFCON Nyamweya points out what might cost Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania the AFCON bid
The nations will join hands and persuade CAF to have the international competition held in East Africa.
Talks with Saudi Arabia are believed to have been taking place for some time and last week, CAF announced that it had signed a five-year cooperation and development agreement with the Saudi Arabian Football Federation, a move it said would “foster growth opportunities for African and Saudi Arabian football.”
“CAF is excited to work together and partner with the Saudi Arabian Football Federation to develop and grow football on our continent and globally,” said CAF president Patrice Motsepe in a statement. “There are also specific areas for mutually beneficial partnerships that we are discussing and announcements will be made in due course.”
CAF has seen its revenues dip in light of the 2019 cancellation of the $1b (Ksh137 billion) television and marketing rights deal with the French firm Lagardere Sports and the Super League is seen as one avenue of plugging that gap.
08:00 - 22.05.2023
FKFPL AFC Leopards boss reveals what they need to challenge for the title next season
Ingwe chairman Dan Shikanda explained the club’s transfer plans as they seek to pull all stops to ensure they are not pretenders to the throne in 2023-24
Saudi Arabia, meanwhile, is reported to be considering a bid to host the 2030 World Cup despite FIFA’s rules preventing Asian Football Confederation nations from hosting the men’s tournament until 2034 after Qatar hosted the 2022 event.
The deadline for submission of bids for the 2030 World Cup hosting rights is in June and if they do not make it, Saudi Arabia are understood to still be interested in trying their luck for the 2034 tournament.