Enyimba May Get Wild Card Entry Into Restructured African Super League

The landscape of the proposed African Super League continues to change as even a possible change of name is in the offing.

The initial proposed August kick-off is no longer feasible as October is being considered as a possible take off period.

Also altered is the initial 24-team format which has been drastically reduced to eight. The composition of the eight club has also generated controversy.

CAF billionaire president, Patrice Motsepe told South Africa Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) in Johannesburg that the approached sponsors of the $100 million prize money are not happy with the word ‘Super’ attached to the competition.

The CAF president failed to give the details about the prize money, the format or the names of the teams for the first edition.

The line-up of the eight clubs will include the 2023 Champions League semi-finalists – Al Ahly of Egypt, Wydad Casablanca of Morocco, Esperance of Tunisia and Motsepe-owned Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa.

The French news agency also speculated that Nigeria’s Enyimba along with TP Mazembe of DR Congo, Simba of Tanzania and Petro Atletico of Angola may also take part.

The final list may anger some countries, especially  Algeria whose clubs have been excluded despite good performances in recent seasons.

Chabab Belouizdad have reached the quarter-finals of the last three Champions Leagues and USM Alger won the second-tier CAF Confederation Cup this season.

Enyimba have not reached the Champions League knockout stage since 2011, but it would be unthinkable to have an Africa Super League without the most populous country in the continent.