Africa Football League: CAF completes inspection of Enyimba’s facilities

CAF inspectors have wrapped up their two-day final tour of facilities earmarked for Enyimba’s home matches during the inaugural edition of Africa Football League, which will start in October.

Led by Director of Competition, Africa Football League, Duccio Ticciati, the team inspected facilities at the 30,000-seat Godswill Akpabio Stadium — including the main pitch, training pitch, VVIP and VIP sections, control room, VAR room, sound system, media centre, conference room, lighting system, dressing rooms and toilets.

Earlier on the tour, the CAF delegation had inspected Ibom Specialist Hospital and three hotels — Ibom Icon Hotels, Four Points by Sheraton and Monty Suites.

Set to feature eight teams, the competition, initially planned to be played by 24 teams, will see Enyimba compete against last season’s Champions League top four teams — Al Ahly, Wydad Casablanca, Mamelodi Sundowns and Esperance — as well as TP Mazembe, Petro Atletico and Simba.

Enyimba were originally not selected to play in the eight-team league. They only received a late invite to the competition after Horoya AC’s stadium failed a CAF inspection.

The two-time CAF Champions League winners play their home matches at Enyimba Stadium, Aba. CAF, though, deemed the stadium not good enough to host Africa Football League matches and gave them two stadium options — one of them, National Stadium, Abuja.

However, after long consideration, they chose Godswill Akpabio Stadium —one hour, thirty minutes from Aba by car — as their home ground for the competition.

Initially launched as the Africa Super League on 10 August 2022 in Tanzania with a kickoff date of August 2023, the Africa Football League will be held every year — and it will run alongside CAF’s other club competitions.