The competition, which will draw the continent's top 24 sides from 16 nations, is CAF president, Patrice Motsepe's brainchild.
The initiative has divided football, with its proponents arguing it will propel the level of the game within the continent, while critics view it as a divisive move. Despite recent improved performances particularly in the CAF Champions League, notably through Township Rollers and Jwaneng Galaxy, Botswana's sides did not make the cut.
Southern Africa will be represented by sides from only two countries, Angola and South Africa while North Africa, through Egypt (four), Morocco (three), Algeria (three), and Tunisia (two) are the dominant forces in the competition.
Africa's most populous nation, Nigeria is represented by only one side, Enyimba, while East Africa has one representative through Simba SC of Tanzania. Simba's fiercest rivals, Young Africans miss out.
The tournament guarantees handsome returns for the participating teams and national associations who will receive $1 million (about P11 million) from the competition's revenues. Motsepe announced the Super League is going full steam during the CAF Annual General Assembly being held in Arusha, Tanzania. The competition has a prize money of more than $100 million (approx. P1.1 billion) while participating clubs are each guaranteed $2.5 million (approx. P30 million). The winner of the competition pockets $11.5 million (nearly P120 million).
The competition is being held against a backdrop of a near $50 million loss suffered by CAF last year, and Motsepe did not specify where the money to bankroll the tournament would come from.
FIFA's president, Gianno Infantino has given the tournament his blessing and was present in Arusha for the launch on Wednesday. “African clubs have never had a good foundation financially, to be able to keep some of the best players in Africa, from an income perspective. Because they (the players) love the continent, they want to be in Africa,” Motsepe said at the launch. “So, the financial part of club football is a critical issue and what we’re hoping to do is improve the quality of football. We need to get the spectators excited to watch local football because it is as good as watching the best football in the world,” Infantino said.
Participating teams Al Ahly, Zamalek, Pyramids, Al Masry (All Egypt), Wydad AC, Raja Casablanca, RS Berkane (All Morocco), Esperance, Etoile Du Sahel (All Tunisia), Mamelodi Sundowns, Orlando Pirates, Kaizer Chiefs (All South Africa), JS Kabyile, CR Belouizdad, ES Setif (All Algeria), TP Mazembe (DR Congo), Horoya AC (Guinea), Enyimba (Nigeria), Petro de Luanda (Angola), Simba SC (Tanzania), Asante Kotoko (Ghana), Al Hilal (Sudan), ASEC Mimosas (Ivory Coast), and Coton Sport (Cameroon).
