The Confédération Africaine de Football (CAF) has announced the launch of a new flagship competition, the African Nations League, marking a major restructuring of African senior national team football and reaffirming its commitment to hosting a world-class international tournament on the continent every year.
The historic decision, unveiled by CAF President Dr Patrice Motsepe, guarantees that Africa will stage an elite senior national team competition annually, featuring the best African footballers drawn from top leagues across the world. CAF also confirmed that the African Nations League will be organised in partnership with FIFA, further strengthening global collaboration in the development of the game on the continent.
CAF clarified that during FIFA World Cup years, no African senior national team competition will be held. This exception will allow the nine or ten African countries that qualify for the World Cup to focus fully on preparation for the global tournament without fixture congestion.
Speaking on the development, Dr Motsepe expressed optimism about the far-reaching impact of the reforms, noting that the new structure would elevate African national team competitions to global standards.
“We are excited about the new changes we have introduced, which will make African senior national team competitions among the best in the world, with the best African football players participating every year,” he said.
Beyond competition restructuring, CAF revealed significant financial reforms aimed at strengthening football administration and development across its 54 member associations. According to Dr Motsepe, a newly initiated USD 1 billion tender process will enable CAF to distribute USD 1 million annually to each member association—a fivefold increase from the previous USD 200,000 allocation.
The CAF President added that substantial resources would be channelled into youth development, describing investment in young boys and girls as one of the most critical steps toward securing the future of African football. Increased funding will also support CAF youth competitions, women’s and men’s club football, zonal and regional tournaments, as well as improved remuneration for CAF employees.
In another major boost, Dr Motsepe announced that prize money for the CAF Champions League and Confederation Cup will be increased, with details to be disclosed after the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Morocco 2025.
He further highlighted that the restructuring aligns African football calendars with global fixtures, a move designed to reduce conflicts between club and national team commitments for African players abroad. The reforms, he said, followed extensive consultations with FIFA, sponsors, partners, and other key stakeholders.
“I am confident that African football will benefit enormously from the new changes that we have introduced. The future of African football is bright,” Dr Motsepe concluded.
The introduction of the African Nations League is widely seen as a transformative step that will enhance competitiveness, financial sustainability, and global relevance of African football.
