‘CAF plans to expand Women’s Champions League’ – Meskerem Goshime

By Oyediji Oluwaseun Babatunde

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) is planning to expand the format of the Women’s Champions League in the near future as the competition continues to grow. Launched in 2021, the Women’s Champions League has become the continent’s premier women’s club competition, with eight teams vying for the title. CAF’s Head of Women’s Football, Meskerem Goshime, recently outlined the governing body’s ambition to further develop the tournament and ensure stronger representation for Africa on the global stage.

While CAF has seen growth in participation—from 33 to 36 clubs in the qualifiers—Goshime emphasized that the federation wants more member associations to be involved before pushing forward with an expanded format. Currently, the competition remains at eight teams, and CAF has ruled out the introduction of a home-and-away format for now, preferring to focus on building a strong and competitive brand at this stage.

Looking ahead, one of CAF’s key objectives is to have a solid African representative at the inaugural FIFA Women’s Club World Cup in 2026. Goshime expressed confidence that expanding the Women’s Champions League in the future is crucial to ensuring that African clubs can compete strongly on the global stage. She also emphasized the importance of developing domestic leagues, which will provide a solid foundation for clubs aiming to succeed in continental competitions.

“For the expansion, we want to see how many clubs are engaged in the qualifiers,” Goshime explained. “We’re really working on making sure that domestic leagues are administrated well, and that clubs understand what professional football looks like.”

The 2024 edition of the CAF Women’s Champions League is set to kick off on November 9 in Morocco, with Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies (South Africa), who have won two of the past three editions, among the favorites. AS FAR FC, the host team, is also considered a strong contender, while Nigeria’s Edo Queens, given the country’s rich history in women’s football, are expected to make a competitive run for the title.

CAF’s focus on creating a competitive and well-organized tournament aims to elevate the standard of women’s football across Africa and ensure that the continent is well-represented on the global stage.