The African Football League, formerly known as the African Super League, will be holding its maiden tournament from 20 October to 11 November 2023.
According to CAF at the announcement of the competition, the new competition is a collaboration between CAF and FIFA that is designed to “showcase the best of African club football and provide football fans in Africa and around the world, the opportunity to see and enjoy the very best of the beautiful game on the African Continent.”
Enyimba International of Aba, the record nine-time champions of the NPFL, will be representing Nigeria and Central West Africa.
🚨Africa’s highest ranked football clubs will compete in the exciting new ‘Super’ competition, the Inaugural African Football League (AFL)
It will feature 8 of Africa’s most famous and successful teams from the 3 African Regional Blocks.
Enyimba are central west rep! pic.twitter.com/Fswp3E2fy1
— MikeThePundit (@Mike_ThePundit) August 29, 2023
Teams participating in the African Football League
The African Football League was conceived as the African Super League during the 80th anniversary of one of Africa’s most iconic football institutions, TP Mazembe.
Gianni Infantino, President of the world football governing body FIFA, stated that the competition will help raise Africa’s football to the heights where the likes of Mazembe, Enyimba and other African football giants can attract foreign investment and players.
After one year of working on the product, eight teams will participate in the inaugural tournament. They are:
- Al Ahly Football Club (Egypt)
- Tunisia’s Espérance Sportive de Tunis
- Wydad Athletic Club (Morocco)
- Enyimba Football Club
- Tout Puissant Mazembe (DR Congo)
- Atlético Petróleos de Luanda (Angola)
- Simba Sports Club (Tanzania)
- Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa).
Enyimba against the African Football League teams
Enyimba international of Aba alongside TP Mazembe will represent the Central-West Africa region in the African Football League. The tournament will be played in a knockout format, with four quarter-finals, two semifinals and a final, all played across two legs.
A number of these teams are not unfamiliar to old-school Enyimba fans who have watched the People’s Elephant in the CAF Champions League and CAF Confederation Cup.
Here are the head to head records of Enyimba against their fellow contenders for the maiden African Football League title.
| Team | H2H record (last 2 games) |
| TP Mazembe | 1 Win, 1 Loss, 0 Draws |
| Al Ahly Football Club | 0 Wins, 1 Loss, 1 Draw |
| Espérance Sportive de Tunis | 1 Win, 0 Loss, 1 Draw |
| Wydad Athletic Club | 0 Wins, 1 Loss, 1 Draw |
| Atlético Petróleos de Luanda | 1 Win, 0 Loss, 1 Draw |
| Simba Sports Club | 2 Wins, 0 Loss, O Draws |
| Mamelodi Sundowns | 1 Win, 1 Loss, O Draws |
Enyimba fans will hope that the People's Elephant get to face Simba SC in their African Football League quarter final after the draw which will be held on 2 September.
The Tanzanian team have not gotten the better of the nine-time Nigeria top flight league champions since 2003, a run that has spanned four games in Nigeria and Tanzania.
It is believed that Enyimba stands a chance of winning the $11.5 million prize attached to lifting the maiden African Football League (formerly known as the African Super League) title if they start their campaign against the Tanzanian outfit.
This article was most recently revised and updated 1 year ago
