- Wenger is FIFA’s Chief of Global Football Development
- Djokaerf is a FIFA legend and part of FIFA’s development team
- This is the first edition of the African Football League
Former Arsenal manager and current FIFA’s Chief of Global Football Development Arsene Wenger is in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania ahead of the opening game of the inaugural edition of the African Football League (AFL).
Wenger was also accompanied by FIFA legend and former France international Youri Djiokaerf as well as retired referee Perluigi Collina who is the current head of referees at FIFA.
“I am glad to be here on this occasion,” Wenger said in a short greeting as he attended the press conference to officially unveil the trophy of the AFL.
In the first match of the eight-team tournament, Tanzanian giants Simba SC will take on record African champions Al Ahly at the National Stadium in Dar es Salaam.
Djokaerf, speaking to Sportsleo after the press conference said; “I am very proud to be here in Tanzania for this tournament. It is one that will greatly improve African football and I can’t wait to see the teams in action,” Djokaerf said.
Multi-million dollar tournament
Former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger
The trophy of the multi-million-dollar tournament was unveiled by the legends as well as the CAF President Dr Patrice Motsepe.
“We are delighted and really excited to be launching this great tournament because it is going to do a lot for African football. We want more money for the clubs which should at the end trickle down to the players and this is one way of doing it,” Motsepe said at the launch.
He added; “We want to see Africa retain its best talent because most of them go out to look for more money. And if we can provide that money to them here then it will be perfect. We want to see an African club one day play in the final and maybe win the FIFA Club World Cup.”
Eight teams will be involved in the inaugural edition of the tournament. Tanzania’s Simba, Egypt’s Ahly, Tunisia’s Esperance, Angola’s Petro de Luanda, Morocco’s Wydad Athletic, Nigeria’s Enyimba and DR Congo’s TP Mazembe will compete in the inn augural edition as the eight best ranked African teams.
Straight into quarter finals
FIFA legend Youri Djorkaeff
The games will go straight into two-legged quarter finals.
Winners of the tournament will bank a whooping 4mn dollars, 3mn dollars for the losing finalist, 1.7mn dollars for the third placed team while each of the quarter finalists will receive a million dollars each.
The AFL will cater for transport logistsics for all the teams participating.
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