Izuchukwu OkosiNewly crowned Nigeria Premier League champions, Enyimba International FC of Aba will represent Nigeria in the second edition of the 2023 CAF Africa Super League tournament.
The Africa football controlling body launched the first edition of the tournament in July 2021 albeit the inuagral edition was held in Tanzania a year later.
Enyimba are two-time CAF Champions League winners in 2003 and 2004 and will be gunning for the $11.5m prize while other financial remuneration will trickle down to the runner-up and semifinalists.
The World football governing body, FIFA announced the berth of the Super League four years ago on the 28th of November 2019, with the financial state of most African team.
According to the FIFA President, Gianni Infantino said at the time: “the essence of holding the tournament is based on its huge financial returns, projected to exceed $100 million, beneficial to developing and improving infrastructure while promoting African football.”
The competition is expected to include 24 elite African clubs playing in leagues with a promotion/relegation system, that will feature in three groups of eight teams, with the top two teams making the Round of 16 stage.
The new CAF Super League project has been subject to criticism over the years, for unrealistic expectations based on financial returns, noting that the current CAF championships experience unfavorable infrastructure and high travel costs for both the fans and teams.
However, regardless of the opinions making the rounds, Enyimba and their counterparts will look forward to the 17th of August, 2023 which is the proposed starting date of the tournament, with participants expected to win approximately $2.5 million guaranteed.
The winner of the competition will go home about $11.5 million richer, while other financial remuneration will trickle down to the runner-up and semifinalists.
POT 1:
Al Ahly (Egypt)
Wydad AC (Morocco)
Espérance Tunis (Tunisia)
Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa)
POT 2:
TP Mazembe (Congo)
Enyimba (Nigeria)
Simba (Tanzania)
Petro Atlético (Angola)
The competition will have 197 matches with a maximum of 21 matches played during the Knockout stages. The final will be played in a single match, and is designed to become “the Super Bowl of Africa.”
Izuchukwu Okosi is a Nigerian sports and entertainment journalist with two decades of experience in the media industry having begun his media journey in 2002 as an intern at Mundial Sports International (MSI) and Africa Independent Television (AIT), owners of Daar Communications Plc.
In October 2004, Okosi joined Complete Communications Limited, publishers of Complete Sports newspaper and Complete Football magazine as a reporter and later script writer for the Complete Sports studio.
He worked there for 13 years until October 2017.
Okosi also worked various times as Correspondent, Content creator and Editor at Sports Market International Magazine, Opera News, All Nigeria Soccer Media and Iconic Media Watch.
He also undertook freelance writing gigs for some local and international organizations.
Okosi is a member of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN), Association of Movie Producers (AMP), Association of Voiceover Artistes of Nigeria (AVOA), Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) and Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ).
He has been part of cast in some Nollywood movies and radio dramas including Blood Money 2, Scores To Settle, Dead End 2, Another Campus Tale and Battle Line.
Aside mainstream media and the entertainment industry, he has interests in scouting/unearthing of talents in the sports and creative sectors, exports business and property development.
Follow Us