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African Nations League Set for 2029 as CAF Unveils Format, Zones and $10m Prize Pool

Published

3 weeks ago

4:03 pm

African Nations League Set for 2029 as CAF Unveils Format, Zones and m Prize Pool

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has released detailed information on the format and structure of the newly confirmed African Nations League, which is scheduled to officially kick off in 2029.

CAF President Patrice Motsepe made the disclosure during a press briefing in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, outlining how the competition will be organised and the strategic objectives behind its introduction.

The African Nations League will adopt a zonal system designed to promote regional rivalries and reduce travel demands. The four geographic zones are:

North Africa (6 nations): Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Egypt, Libya and Mauritania.

East Africa (16 nations): including Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Ethiopia, Sudan and Rwanda.

West Africa (16 nations): including Nigeria, Senegal, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Mali, Burkina Faso and Guinea.

Central and Southern Africa (16 nations): including DR Congo, South Africa, Cameroon, Gabon and Equatorial Guinea.

Teams will compete in a group phase within their respective zones. Each zone will produce a regional champion, who will then qualify for the continental final stage.

The continental finals are expected to be hosted in a single country, with Nigeria reportedly emerging as a potential host for the 2029 finals, according to CAF sources.

CAF also confirmed a record prize pool of $10 million for the overall winner, underlining the federation’s ambition to elevate the competition’s prestige, competitiveness, and commercial appeal.

The African Nations League is aimed at providing regular high-quality competitive matches for national teams, strengthening regional rivalries, and creating new commercial opportunities across African football as part of CAF’s long-term development strategy.

Samuel Ahmadu

Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. On the back of domestic engagement since 2008, he began his international career journey at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.

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