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CAF to Review Egyptian FAs Proposal to Expand Inter-Club Competitions
CAF to Review Egyptian FA’s Proposal to Expand Inter‑Club Competitions
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has confirmed that it has received a proposal from the Egyptian Football Association (EFA) to increase the number of clubs that can participate in the CAF Champions League and CAF Confederation Cup. President Patrice Motsepe said the proposal will be presented to the next CAF Executive Committee (EXCO) meeting for discussion.
The proposal comes amid a period of scrutiny for African club football. Al Ahly, the Egyptian club that has won the Champions League a record 12 times, failed to qualify for the current season’s competition after a defeat in the qualifying round. The failure has raised questions about the competitiveness of the tournament and the fairness of its allocation system.
According to Motsepe, the EXCO is the body that makes decisions on inter‑club matters. “We have to look at every proposal we receive and make decisions based on what’s in the best interest of football,” he said. “The secretary general is not here; that proposal will be submitted to EXCO to look at and to make decisions.” Motsepe added that the next EXCO meeting will take place on the sidelines of the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) in Morocco later this month or the following month.
The CAF club calendar for the 2026‑27 season was released in June. Because the calendar is already in place, any changes to the competition format are unlikely to take effect until the next season. Motsepe acknowledged that “the club calendar is already released for this season, so it’s highly unlikely that the implementation of this proposal, if approved, will be for this season.”
The EFA’s request is part of a broader push to give more clubs from Africa’s top‑ranked associations a chance to compete. The proposal would increase the number of slots available in both the Champions League and Confederation Cup. It is intended to improve the commercial appeal of the competitions and to provide more opportunities for clubs to play at a continental level.
In a related development, CAF announced in May that it had rejected a proposal to expand inter‑club competitions for the 2026‑27 season. The decision was made after reviewing the EFA’s submission and other inputs. The rejection does not preclude future discussions; Motsepe said that “any plan that will improve African football on and off the field, especially competitively and commercially, has to be considered.”
The decision to reject the expansion for the current season was made to preserve the integrity of the existing competition structure. CAF officials said that the club competitions are the backbone of African football and that any changes must be carefully evaluated. The organization also emphasized that it would continue to monitor the performance of clubs and the overall health of the competitions.
The next EXCO meeting will bring together representatives from all 54 CAF member associations. The agenda will include the proposal from the EFA, as well as other matters such as officiating reforms and the upcoming 2027 Africa Cup of Nations. Motsepe said that the committee would “follow the rules and regulations” and that the decisions would be made “in due course.”
The outcome of the meeting will determine whether CAF will adopt a revised format for the Champions League and Confederation Cup in future seasons. If the proposal is approved, the changes could affect the number of clubs that qualify from each national association and the structure of the preliminary rounds. The decision will also have implications for club revenues, broadcasting contracts, and the overall competitiveness of African club football.
For now, clubs and fans will have to wait for the EXCO’s decision. The next meeting is scheduled to take place during the WAFCON tournament in Morocco, which will run from 24 July to 12 August. The outcome will shape the next generation of African club competitions and could set a new standard for how the continent’s top clubs compete on the continental stage.
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has confirmed that it has received a proposal from the Egyptian Football Association (EFA) to increase the number of clubs that can participate in the CAF Champions League and CAF Confederation Cup. President Patrice Motsepe said the proposal will be presented to the next CAF Executive Committee (EXCO) meeting for discussion.
The proposal comes amid a period of scrutiny for African club football. Al Ahly, the Egyptian club that has won the Champions League a record 12 times, failed to qualify for the current season’s competition after a defeat in the qualifying round. The failure has raised questions about the competitiveness of the tournament and the fairness of its allocation system.
According to Motsepe, the EXCO is the body that makes decisions on inter‑club matters. “We have to look at every proposal we receive and make decisions based on what’s in the best interest of football,” he said. “The secretary general is not here; that proposal will be submitted to EXCO to look at and to make decisions.” Motsepe added that the next EXCO meeting will take place on the sidelines of the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) in Morocco later this month or the following month.
The CAF club calendar for the 2026‑27 season was released in June. Because the calendar is already in place, any changes to the competition format are unlikely to take effect until the next season. Motsepe acknowledged that “the club calendar is already released for this season, so it’s highly unlikely that the implementation of this proposal, if approved, will be for this season.”
The EFA’s request is part of a broader push to give more clubs from Africa’s top‑ranked associations a chance to compete. The proposal would increase the number of slots available in both the Champions League and Confederation Cup. It is intended to improve the commercial appeal of the competitions and to provide more opportunities for clubs to play at a continental level.
In a related development, CAF announced in May that it had rejected a proposal to expand inter‑club competitions for the 2026‑27 season. The decision was made after reviewing the EFA’s submission and other inputs. The rejection does not preclude future discussions; Motsepe said that “any plan that will improve African football on and off the field, especially competitively and commercially, has to be considered.”
The decision to reject the expansion for the current season was made to preserve the integrity of the existing competition structure. CAF officials said that the club competitions are the backbone of African football and that any changes must be carefully evaluated. The organization also emphasized that it would continue to monitor the performance of clubs and the overall health of the competitions.
The next EXCO meeting will bring together representatives from all 54 CAF member associations. The agenda will include the proposal from the EFA, as well as other matters such as officiating reforms and the upcoming 2027 Africa Cup of Nations. Motsepe said that the committee would “follow the rules and regulations” and that the decisions would be made “in due course.”
The outcome of the meeting will determine whether CAF will adopt a revised format for the Champions League and Confederation Cup in future seasons. If the proposal is approved, the changes could affect the number of clubs that qualify from each national association and the structure of the preliminary rounds. The decision will also have implications for club revenues, broadcasting contracts, and the overall competitiveness of African club football.
For now, clubs and fans will have to wait for the EXCO’s decision. The next meeting is scheduled to take place during the WAFCON tournament in Morocco, which will run from 24 July to 12 August. The outcome will shape the next generation of African club competitions and could set a new standard for how the continent’s top clubs compete on the continental stage.
