Inaugural African Football League set for Friday kickoff

Africa’s most eagerly anticipated competition, the African Football League ("AFL"), will kick off this weekend, starting on Friday, October 20, in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

The AFL is a titanic battle of strength versus strength between the giants of African football and will not come much bigger than the reigning African champions and football royalty, Al Ahly SC, heading to Tanzania’s capital to face Simba SC and their fanatical fans in the tournament opener.

Eight of Africa’s most famous and iconic clubs will compete for the grand prize of $4 million, which goes to the winners of the inaugural AFL tournament, raising the stakes considerably in a tournament that brings an exciting new African football product to the world football calendar.

The opening match on Friday between Simba and Al Ahly will kick off at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium on Friday night in an atmosphere that is sure to be a red-hot cauldron and full house as Simba go up against the 11-time African champions from Cairo.

Weekend African Football League (“AFL”) Fixutres:

On Saturday, October 21, 16-time Angolan champions Atlético Petróleos de Luanda hosts South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns, the winners of the last six South African domestic league titles in a row, at Luanda’s Estadio 11 de Novembro.

On Sunday, Democratic Republic of Congo champions TP Mazembe will host Tunisian giants Esperance Tunisienne, also at Dar es Salaam’s Benjamin Mkapa Stadium.

In the last of the tournament’s mouthwatering opening weekend games, Nigerian powerhouses Enyimba FC host legendary Moroccan champions Wydad Athletic Club at Uyo’s Goodwill Akpabo Stadium on Sunday in a match also kicking off on Sunday 22 October.

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The eight teams will play in a knockout format consisting of a quarterfinal, semifinal, and final.

Each tie will be played over two legs on a home and away basis, with the semi-finals set to take place between October 29 and November 1.

AFL Prize Money:

The winners of the inaugural African Football League will receive a prize of $4 million.

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The runner-up will get $2.8 million. The two semi-finalists will each get $1.7 million. The quarter-finalists will each win $900,000.

While the eight protagonists will compete for record prize money in the first edition of the AFL, the objective of the tournament is to be Africa’s most exciting competition, providing a new dimension in terms of entertainment, television production, and the fan experience, which will complement CAF’s strong existing interclub competitions.

©CAF Online.