CAF confirms new Inter-Clubs format

The inter-Clubs committee of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) has approved the new format for continental events — two instead of three.

While the Champions’ League remains, but under a new qualifying format, the Cup Winners Cup and the CAF Cup have been merged to form the Confederations’ Cup.

Twelve countries will provide their champions and runners up for the Champions League while the rest will only provide their champions.

The 12 are Algeria, Angola, Cameroon, DR Congo, Ghana, Egypt, Ivory Coast, Morocco, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa and Tunisia.

The committee noted that qualification was strictly by being national champions and runner-up for the 12 nations.

The committee headed by CAF president Issa Hayatou also has Farah Addo (Somalia), Amos Adamu (Nigeria), Slim Chiboub (Tunisia), Hima Souley (Niger), Al Hadji Jawula (Ghana), Placide Engandzas (Gabon), Mohamed Hussein Osman (Egypt), Slimplice Zinsou (Ivory Coast) and Mohamed Raouraoua (Algeria). Others are Martin Adjagodo (Benin), Iya Mohamed (Cameroon), Tidiane Niambele (Mali), Suketu Patel (Seychelles), and Karim Alem (Morocco).

Meanwhile, Confederation of Africa Football President Issa Hayatou and Asian Football Confederation President Mohamed bin Hamman held a meeting Wednesday in Beirut to renew partnership between the two continental bodies.

During a press conference that followed the meeting, the two parties expressed the need to resume partnerships for the development of football and promote Afro-Asia co-operation in the spirit of brotherhood.

"I am delighted to be re-establishing firm links with the CAF, as our friends and brothers in the development of football," said bin Hammam after the meeting.